Talking Points: Travel to Cape Town, South Africa (January 24, 2018)

Talking Points – Travel to Cape Town, South Africa

Copyright © 2018 – Travel Leaders Group LLC. All rights reserved.

The following Talking Points can be used in conversations with the media and clients when

discussing travel to Cape Town. (Updated January 24, 2018)

1. Cape Town, South Africa is facing an unprecedented water crisis. Strict conservation

measures are in place to delay “Day Zero”—the day the city will officially run out of

water.

2. All travelers to Cape Town should be prepared to take part in water rationing, and

should consider how this will affect their travel plans.

3. We are here to assist our clients; the safety and well-being of our clients is our top

priority.

Below you will find additional information, supporting material and statistics to help further

illustrate each talking point.

1. Cape Town, South Africa is facing an unprecedented water crisis. Strict conservation

measures are in place to delay “Day Zero”—the day the city will officially run out of

water.

 Unusually dry weather over the years has depleted Cape Town’s supply of drinkable

water.

 The crisis has deepened in recent weeks, and local officials have named “Day Zero” as

April 12.

o However, Business Day notes that Day Zero might come sooner: “If the

approach of Cape Town’s Day Zero continues on the trajectory it has maintained

for the past two months‚ it will arrive around March 3. That’s six weeks away‚ and

about six weeks earlier than the City of Cape Town’s latest projection of April 12.

Why the discrepancy? Because the city council keeps doing the same sum and

expecting a different result. Simply put‚ it divides the amount of water left in our

dams by the amount Cape Town is supposed to be using each day and uses the

result to count forward.

But since mayor Patricia de Lille started uttering those now well-worn phrases —

“new normal”‚ “a well-run city does not run out of water” and the rest — Cape

Town has used far more water than it is “supposed” to have. And now that the

hottest time of year has arrived‚ evaporation from dams is accelerating the

approach of taps’ death rattle.”

 Residents are required to follow rules to preserve what water there is. The New York

Times notes: “As the city races to implement alternatives through recycling, boreholes

and desalination by February, residents are restricted to 87 liters (23 gallons) of water

per person per day. “We are all in this together and we can only save water while there

is still water to be saved,” Zara Nicholson, the spokeswoman for Executive Mayor

Patricia de Lille, said in an email. Residents are asked to meet that number by limiting

showers to two minutes, turning off taps while brushing teeth, avoiding flushing toilets

regularly (“If it’s yellow, let it mellow,” as one sign puts it) and using recycled water when

they do, not watering gardens or topping off swimming pools, and using hand sanitizer

instead of soap and water. But as the city struggles to hit a household consumption

target of less than 500 million liters per day, anxiety continues to build.”

 The government of Cape Town has noted on their official website what will occur when

Day Zero arrives:

o “To keep essential services and vital industry running, we have calculated that at

13,5% dam storage the City will turn off almost all taps. This is Day Zero.”

o “Some key areas will be prioritised to stay connected, but these areas will be

extremely limited. The areas which will stay connected will be the majority of

densely populated informal settlements. Decisions about which areas remain

connected will be based on factors such as critical infrastructure, population

density, and risk profile for disease outbreak and fires.”

o “On Day Zero:

 Residents will have to collect a predefined quantity of drinking water per

person per day from approximately 200 collection sites across the city.

The quantity will be based on the minimum requirements for people to

maintain health and hygiene. At the moment, the plan is that we will

distribute 25 litres per person per day which is in line with the World

Health Organisation recommendation

 We are working on an estimation of up to 20 000 people per site per day

 Based on demand, we are considering extended or 24-hour operations at

these sites

 The City’s Water and Sanitation Department especially will be considering

the impact on sanitation services. An extensive public health

communication campaign will be mounted in advance to ensure that all

sanitation systems continue to function and limit the risk of disease

 The City’s Water and Sanitation Department, City law enforcement

teams, and the Disaster Risk Management Section are conducting

preparedness exercises to be ready should Day Zero come

 The City is consulting with the South African Police Service and the

National Defence Force to ensure the safety of residents at these sites

and maintain general law and order. Today teams are testing how a real

water collection point will work. This is one of many preparedness

exercises that the City is undertaking.”

2. All travelers to Cape Town should be prepared to take part in water rationing, and

should consider how this will affect their travel plans.

 Cape Town is welcoming visitors, however, they are subject to water rationing.

 In December 2017, the New York Times reported that many travelers to Cape Town

were unaware of the water crisis.

o “Despite the gravity of the situation, officials say that visitors are welcome. ‘The

City of Cape Town certainly welcomes and encourages all tourists to Cape Town

to visit our beautiful iconic city,’ Ms. Nicholson wrote. ‘Tourism is a major job

creator and one our most important sectors.’

o “About 150,000 people, or 10 percent of the city’s 1.5 million annual foreign

visitors, visit Cape Town in December, but many tourists are unaware of the

severity of the situation until they hear pilots making announcements just before

landing at Cape Town International Airport. Experts say there’s no reason for

travelers to stay away, but raising awareness and water consciousness is

essential.”

o “‘Tourists traveling to a destination, in terms of being a responsible traveler,

should always be aware of context of a destination to which they’re traveling,

whether it’s cultural sensitivity or religious sensitivity,’ said Lisa Scriven, the

director of Levelle Perspectives, which works to implement sustainable tourism

practices. ‘This is water sensitivity.’”

 Cape Town Tourism has laid out what travelers can expect on their trip, in regards to

water:

o “Choose to stay in accommodation that has water-saving measures in place. Ask

about this when you book.”

o “Re–use your towels instead of asking for a new one daily.”

o “Try to flush the toilet as little as possible. Each flush uses between 6 and 14

litres, depending on the kind of toilet.”

o “Use a cup to rinse your mouth when you brush your teeth rather than letting the

taps run.”

o “Limit your showers to 2 minutes, and avoid bathing. Download these 2 Minute

Shower Songs by local bands to make keeping track of shower time fun!”

o “Report leaking taps and toilets as soon as you notice them.”

o “Avoid washing clothes until you have a full load’s worth of laundry.”

o “Take a dip in the ocean instead of swimming pools, and maybe even spare

yourself a shower.”

o “If possible, use a dishwasher to clean dishes. Just make sure you only run it

when it is full.”

o “Use this nifty calculator to make sure you’re helping to save water.”

 Travelers uncomfortable with the prospect of water rationing in Cape Town may want to

consider visiting one of South Africa’s other destinations.

3. We are here to assist our clients; the safety and well-being of our clients is our top

priority.

 The safety and well-being of our clients is our top priority, and we would not send our

clients to a particular destination if we believed it to be unsafe.

 We provide the facts so our clients can make informed decisions about their travel plans.

 We closely monitor the U.S. Department of State website for travel alerts for all

destinations, including those that are most popular with our clients.

 Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may

be planning to travel there and provide detailed information on the situation so they can

make informed decisions for themselves if they still wish to travel.

 Our business is founded on repeat customers. Therefore, we want to be sure everything

goes off without a hitch.

 By working with a true travel professional, we assist our clients by consulting on the ideal

vacation experience they are looking for and providing alternative destinations should

the need arise.