The summit was hosted by the African Airlines Association and Kenya Airways.

‘My mission is to reach travellers and investors from countries across the continent while exploring partnerships and sister city agreements like the ones we’ve signed with Nairobi, Bujumbura and Accra. Further opening the air transport market is critical to this mission. Where implemented, it has resulted in increased utilisation of airspace, more competitive fares and more and better choices for travellers,’ said Alderman Vos.  

Open skies would also boost trade thanks to the access to new markets, thereby increasing export productivity.

‘The fact of the matter is that overly complicated agreements add significantly to the cost of doing business and create needless hurdles for the growth of air traffic and the economic spin-offs thereof. I have previously written to Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille asking her to put added pressure on the National Transport Department to implement an open skies policy and I will renew those engagements,’ said Alderman Vos.

In 2022, air travel funnelled R24 billion into the provincial economy while supporting over 10 600 jobs. This year, around 31 000 passengers per day are expected to travel through Cape Town International Airport, with approximately 215 international flights scheduled to land every week. 

‘In the coming months, we are expecting to welcome record numbers of visitors, showing that there is an incredible appetite for Cape Town travel experiences. We should be doing all we can to make our region as accessible as possible to boost our economy and job opportunities,’ said Alderman Vos.

Caption: (From left to right): Patrick Roux, CEO of SkyTeam; Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways; Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth; Abderahmane Berthe, Secretary General of the African Airlines Association at the Africa Aviation Innovation Summit