The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments in Africa and the Middle East to implement testing as an alternative to quarantine measures when reopening their economies.
IATA said 35 countries in Africa and the Middle East have government-imposed quarantine measures in place. This is an increase of seven countries since August.
In a statement, IATA said the impact is that the region remains in de facto lockdown despite borders being open. The association added that a recent opinion poll showed that 88% of travellers would not even consider travelling if quarantine measures were imposed on travellers at their destination.
“Mandatory quarantine measures stop people from travelling. We understand that governments’ priority is on protecting the well-being of their citizens.
Quarantine destroys livelihoods. Testing is an alternative method that will also save travel and tourism jobs,” said Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s regional vice-president for Africa and the Middle East.
Traffic levels plummet
The latest IATA survey of passenger attitudes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) shows that 72% of people surveyed agreed that those who test negative for COVID-19 should not have to quarantine, and 80% of people feel that COVID-19 is sufficiently under control in the country to open borders.
Quarantines, closed borders and travel restrictions continue to suppress demand for travel in Africa and the Middle East. Traffic levels in Africa and the Middle East saw the largest drop of all regions in July compared to 2019 levels.
Total passenger traffic in Africa in July 2020 was 93.7% below 2019 levels and in the Middle East 95.5% below 2019 levels.
Aviation supported more than 6.2 million jobs and US$56 billion in GDP in Africa and 2.4 million jobs and US$130 billion in GDP in the Middle East pre-COVID-19.
The economic impact of the collapse in air traffic in 2020 because of COVID-19 could be 3.5 million lost jobs and US$35 billion in lost GDP in Africa, as well as 1.5 million lost jobs and US$85 billion in GDP losses in the Middle East.
“Testing provides a safe alternative to quarantine and a solution to stop the economic and social devastation being caused by COVID-19,” Albakri said.
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