The Western Cape Government (WCG) is unwavering in its commitment to harness the boundless potential of the tourism and hospitality sector within the Western Cape to bolster economic growth, recognizing that more tourism translates to more job opportunities.
According to westerncape.gov.za, one of the pivotal strategies to supercharge tourism is by enhancing the accessibility of the province, particularly by increasing the number of flights, especially from untapped markets across North and West Africa. These regions hold significant potential for establishing new routes and attracting travelers.
Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, highlighted the impressive impact of international tourism on the Western Cape’s economy. “The latest data shows that in the last year alone, international tourists visiting the Western Cape generated an impressive R24.3 billion, supporting 10,600 jobs. This means that for every 100 international tourists to the Western Cape, R2.1 million in direct tourist spend was generated, contributing R500,000 to the provincial Gross Domestic Product, enabling two local jobs, and supporting the movement of R1.4 million worth of air cargo,” said Wenger.
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These statistics were revealed by the Western Cape Government’s tourism, trade, and investment promotion agency, Wesgro.
Since 2015, Cape Town and the Western Cape have successfully established direct connections to ten new African destinations. These include Addis Ababa, Harare, Victoria Falls, Maun, Maputo, Livingstone, Kigali, Nairobi, and, as of June this year, Manzini and Lusaka. This impressive expansion brings the total number of cross-border African destinations served out of Cape Town to 15, supported by 11 operating airlines, in addition to the province’s other global destinations.
Minister Wenger emphasized the collaborative effort between the Western Cape and the Cape Town Air Access team, powered by Wesgro, to attract more flights to the region. “Together with the Cape Town Air Access team, we work hard to attract more flights to the Western Cape, because more tourists mean more jobs,” she affirmed.
The region has also witnessed a remarkable increase in African seat capacity, with a compound annual growth rate of 10% per year, from 2015 to 2023. This growth has led to 555,000 inbound seats compared to the 250,000 recorded in 2015. Supporting these enhanced connections are seven new African airlines, including Ethiopian Air, Kenya Airways, Fly Namibia, RwandAir, EswatiniAir, Proflight Zambia, and the recently announced LAM from Mozambique.
Minister Wenger emphasized, “One of our key focus areas is on increasing our air connectivity to the rest of the African continent. Not only do these flights boost tourism but they also provide great opportunities to export proudly Western Cape products via air cargo, as well as easier access for business travel, which can boost investment into the province.”
In closing, she expressed her satisfaction with the significant increase in air connectivity to the rest of the continent and commended the Air Access team for their dedication to boosting tourism and investment in the province. The Western Cape’s ongoing expansion of air access stands as a testament to its commitment to fostering economic growth and collaboration through the thriving tourism sector.
