Tour operators in Ponta do Ouro, in Maputo province, express their concern over the total absence of tourists in this region as a result of the ban on beaches decreed a few days ago by the government to contain the spread of the Ómicron variant.

Abdul Adamo, president of the Gold Point Economic Operators Association says that there is a drastic reduction and cancellation of reservations in all accommodation categories and this has a negative impact on the catering that had already been experienced since the beginning of the pandemic.

"We hoped that there would be an opening given our efforts to design a covid-19 Action Plan for this holiday season that we shared with the government. However, we have not been heard," he said.

Hundreds of empty rooms

Several hotel establishments in Ponta do Ouro, in the south of Maputo province, are empty on the eve of the festive season of Christmas and New Year's Eve, as witnessed by the Sunday newspaper report.

As an example, the resort called Ponta do Ouro Accommodation, with 86 rooms, has only one room occupied and the guests here assured that they intended to stay for 12 days, but will not extend their stay.

The next door establishment, the Kayak Kwero, with 10 guest houses and 18 rooms does not have a single guest because the reservations that had been made have been cancelled.