City of Cape Town Link

Cape Town’s accommodation providers, attractions report surge in visitor figures

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway reports that visitor figures for October - 103 465 and November - 107 864, far exceeded the October 2022 figure of 82 298 and the November 2022 figure of 79 374 people to the site. Meanwhile, 115 000 visitors are projected to buy tickets for the attraction this month, well above the 109 057 people who booked in December 2022. 'These stellar figures come on the back of sustained and targeted marketing in regions where we have traditionally welcomed a high volume of travellers, as well as relatively untapped countries where we are aiming to drive visitors. Most recently, we ran a campaign in Brazil in the weeks preceding the flight between Sao Paulo and Cape Town. This promotion saw a reach of 3,3 million, far exceeding its target of 2,8 million,' said Alderman James Vos, the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/JV%20and%20ED%20in%20convo.jpg" class="responsive" alt="" style="width:948px;" /> </figure>Prior to the campaign's flight in the South American country, Alderman Vos noted that it ran in the US market where it enjoyed a reach of more than 8,2 million people - over 500% above the campaign target. In Europe, it received more than 25 million views, exceeding its target by 3 million views. 'This is one of the measures we use to push demand from key source markets that leads to increased bookings. Between January and April 2023, we saw inbound travel from US and European markets surpass figures seen for the same period in 2019. UK air passengers recovered to 104% of the January to April 2019 numbers, Germany hit 106%, the Netherlands recovered to 116%, and the USA reached an incredible 155%,' said Alderman Vos. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/JV%20w%20red%20bus.jpg" class="responsive" alt="" style="width:948px;" /> </figure>Additionally, Alderman Vos highlighted the latest data from Cape Town International Airport showing it processing 31 297 passengers – including 9 058 international travellers - in the first week of December. It also saw 240 aircraft movements per day, a 26% improvement on the same timeframe in 2019. Meanwhile, research from the City's Official Destination Marketing Organisation, Cape Town Tourism, shows that accommodation providers in the metro are forecasting a 75% occupancy rate this month. In a survey, 86% of CTT's members say they are expecting a better or much better December this year than in 2022. One member said it was 'expecting a very busy season' while another said 'lots of forward bookings have been paid in full'. 'The City has worked closely and continuously with partners such as CTT and Wesgro's Air Access and Cruise Cape Town programmes to ensure an increased number of flights and cruise ships to match the rise in demand from travellers. These strong tourism numbers were further bolstered by several engagements my team and I have had with airlines and tour operators and it is incredibly encouraging to see this bearing fruit for our tourism industry and local businesses,' said Alderman Vos. Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, says, 'We've moved strongly from a chapter of tourism recovery to readiness. Cape Town Tourism has worked tirelessly with the City of Cape Town to shine a spotlight on our city as the number one destination of choice. Our efforts have paid dividends, with Cape Town being named the Continent's Leading City Destination by the World Travel Awards. It's a privilege to share our special spot with the world and to see increasing numbers of tourists flock to our shores. 'We're excited for the critical economic injection this high season is set to give our city and local businesses. We're delighted by our members' optimism and look forward to seeing them thrive as business – hopefully – booms!' With the bumper season ahead, Alderman Vos said the City and its partners have put processes in place to secure all aspects of destination readiness, including safety, transport, and cleanliness. In the event of an emergency, the public is advised to phone the City's Public Emergency Communication Centre on 107 from a landline, or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone. 'This year, the City is deploying its largest ever festive tourism safety operation with a special deployment of Tourism Unit personnel to Table Mountain National Park and the CBD and the use of technology such as drones, dashcams, automatic number plate recognition, and CCTV. We are doing everything possible to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday for visitors and residents alike. We do this because tourism is a vital industry that drives jobs and investments in Cape Town,' said Alderman Vos. Duminy added that CTT has additional safety resources including:TravelWise: This <a href="https://ddec1-0-en-ctp.trendmicro.com/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=https://www.capetown.travel/travelwise/safety-in-cape-town/&umid=c82927fe-349a-447d-9a2c-4bd073f2ea0a&auth=2ad3eefb43d42e4af99fdc07ba99e48e7318d45f-0dd843fd6d141125080bba7d3509d46000bcbd34">platform</a> includes up-to-date safety information, practical tips and emergency contact numbers. <ul><li>The <a href="https://ddec1-0-en-ctp.trendmicro.com/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=https://www.capetown.travel/travelwise/namola-safety-app/&umid=c82927fe-349a-447d-9a2c-4bd073f2ea0a&auth=2ad3eefb43d42e4af99fdc07ba99e48e7318d45f-6fef58bd8934abab5812a8cf89e9e583de14e395">Namola</a> App: a free safety response app which pinpoints your location, and connects you to an emergency operator fast and efficiently. </li><li>The Band-Aid Programme: help for those in distress, including lost travel documents, counselling, emergency accommodation, laying a charge at SAPS, and contacting banks in the event of bank card fraud. The 24/7 Band-Aid contact number is 021 487 6552.</li><li>Visitors can also speak to CTT staff located at Cape Town International Airport, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, and City Hall. 'Cape Town is ready to welcome visitors to our beautiful destination. We can't wait for you to experience the Greatest City on Earth,' says Duminy. </li></ul><div>End </div>

2023-12-13T22:00:00Z

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