The upward trend in the Western Cape tourism sector continues as the province recorded more than 3.2 million visitors between January and April 2024, a 17% growth in the number of visitors compared to the same period last year.
Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC Mireille Wenger said the latest provincial tourism report showed the 53 participating attractions across the six regions of the Western Cape recorded a total of 3 206 546 visitors between January and April.
Other highlights from the report, compiled by the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) tourism, trade and investment promotion agency, Wesgro, showed that Table Mountain National Park received 1 176 683 visitors.
The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway recorded 425 515 visitors while Table Mountain National Park: Cape of Good Hope recorded 371 620 visitors through their gates.
At Boulders, and in the Table Mountain National Park, there were 319 766 visitors and at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, 251 301 visitors.
According to Stats SA, total tourist arrivals at Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) via air maintained a positive trend moving into the second quarter of 2024, showing a 13% year-on-year increase between January and April 2024, reaching 405 021 tourists and exceeding the 2019 figure of 350 020.
“Together with Wesgro and our partners across the sector, we are determined to boost this incredible sector. We have just opened applications for the Province’s 2024 Tourism Growth Fund, which will provide project funding to qualifying organisations for tourism development, tourism infrastructure, and tourism product development,” Wenger said.
“This will assist businesses to expand their already impressive offerings as well as further develop tourism infrastructure, to support the growth of the number of visitors to the Western Cape.”
Cape Town Tourism’s Enver Duminy said they were thrilled about the positive trajectory in local tourism.
“We’re forecasting this robust recovery to continue, with a strong pipeline of domestic and international foot traffic expected.
“As the city’s destination marketing organisation, we’ve worked alongside the City of Cape Town to forge global partnerships with New York, Berlin, and beyond to keep our visitor economy expanding and essentially benefiting local businesses. Our mission is always to spotlight Cape Town as the Greatest City on Earth. We remain committed to innovation as a driver of continued growth, our focus is on being future-fit and hyper-relevant to showcase our city's unparalleled beauty. It’s been hugely gratifying to see the growth and recovery,” said Duminy.
Applications for the province’s 2024 Tourism Growth Fund are open and all interested tourism organisations invited to apply via: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/site-page/economic-sector-support-tourism-growth-fund
Cape Times