By Mduduzi Malinga
The Western Cape is a South African province with coasts bordering the Indian and Atlantic oceans. It is known for the port city of Cape Town, set beneath Table Mountain.
The province is one of the domestic travel destinations in South Africa preferred by foreign tourists, with several local attractions and venues, the city of Cape Town received 2.6 million international visitors in 2018 with a growth of 11.5% in international arrivals at Cape Town International Airport according to the Western Cape Government.
It is also well known for its scenic beauty and a wealth of flora and fauna. With an abundance of hiking trails, you have a choice between coastal or mountain hikes.
And it is no surprise that not long ago, a total of eight Western Cape-based tourism and hospitality brands were crowned winners at the World Travel Awards Africa.
The World Travel Awards we`re established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence.
The Western Cape winners include:
- Africa’s Leading Airport – Cape Town International Airport, South Africa
- Africa’s Leading City Destination – Cape Town, South Africa
- Africa’s Leading Cruise Port – Port of Cape Town, South Africa
- Africa’s Leading Design Hotel – Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
- Africa’s Leading Luxury Hotel – The Silo Hotel, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town South Africa
- Africa’s Leading Luxury Hotel Villa – Villa Two @ Ellerman House, Cape Town, South Africa
- Africa’s Leading Luxury Resort – One &Only Cape Town, South Africa
- Africa’s Leading Sports Resort – Pezula Nature Hotel & Spa, South Africa
According to new figures from the Cape Town Air Access, that is powered by Wesgro, the arrival of 605,000 foreign passengers injected a whopping R24.3bn into South Africa’s Western Cape economy in 2022., The figures highlight the serious economic contribution of air travel to the local economy. For every 100 international passengers travelling to Cape Town and the Western Cape, R2.1m is generated in direct tourism spend.
In addition, the new statistics show that 61% of the air arrivals in Cape Town are of foreign origin with the top five markets being the UK, Germany, the US, the Netherlands, and Namibia.
As a country this is a proud moment, that is a reminder of the attractiveness and competitiveness of this country to the world that is proof point of how we can hold our own and compete against the best in the world.
Sources:
https://www.worldtravelawards.com/about
https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/western-cape-tourism
