Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Vote for Table Mountain in travel awards
TABLE Mountain fans are invited to vote for the iconic landmark as Africa's leading tourist attraction.
Arguably the leader in the pack of Cape Town's Big 6, the natural beacon has been nominated in the World Travel Awards, the Oscars of the tourism and hospitality industry.
Selma Hercules, executive director at Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC), said readers are invited to show their love for the beloved attraction.
“Table Mountain has been nominated in the World Travel Awards and voting kicked off on Tuesday. Your vote can help the mountain walk away with the title of Africa's leading tourist attraction.
“The mountain itself is a testament to nature's grandeur. Its distinctive plateau carved over aeons of volcanic activity and erosion. This geological masterpiece stretches across approximately 48km, with its highest point soaring 1 067 meters above sea level, creating the Mother City's famously dramatic backdrop.
“Revered by the indigenous Khoisan people as Hoerikwaggo, sometimes translated as ‘Mountain in the Sea,' Table Mountain's past extends to the Stone Age. For thousands of years in antiquity, Khoe-speaking clans, such as the Urill'aes (or ‘High Clan') roamed the mountains of their homeland.
“Today, Table Mountain is regarded as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Unlike many of the more secluded natural wonders on the list – which includes Ha Long Bay in Vietnam and the Iguazú Falls at the border between Argentina and Brazil – Table Mountain offers travellers the unique proposition of pristine wilderness on the doorstep of urban convenience,” said Hercules.
The mountain and the Cableway are just minutes from the vibrant city centre, a perfect space in which to soak up the cultural and historic soul of the southern tip of Africa.
“The iconic Cableway and the unforgettable experience of ascending to the summit is part of the Cape Town Big 6. The Big 6, which include Cape Point, Groot Constantia, Kirstenbosch, Robben Island Museum, and the V&A Waterfront, are the iconic destinations which constitute the quintessential Cape Town experience. Each of these stunning tourist drawcards have earned its place among the continent's most visited attractions.”
Hercules says the Cableway itself is regarded as a feat of engineering and has consistently adhered to the most stringent international safety standards. Each winter, the site shuts down for a period of rigorous maintenance and upgrades. Since its inception in 1929, TMACC has transported more than 31 million people to the summit.
For almost a century, the company has maintained the area's pristine natural state, and actively worked to improve it. Surrounded by cliffs, the mountain is a sanctuary of biodiversity, cradling a myriad of life forms.
The area is home to an astonishing diversity of plant species, characteristic of the unique fynbos biome. As a home to many species found nowhere else on earth, the mountain's ecological significance is profound.
Committed to both the environmental and socio-economic sustainability of their host community, TMACC engages in community upliftment projects and initiatives. TMACC offsets its carbon emissions by investing in the Kuyasa housing project which assists hundreds of Khayelitsha households with solar energy installations.
Table Mountain's grandeur is unparalleled, not only for its breathtaking vistas and natural splendour, but also because of TMACC's holistic approach to conservation and sustainable tourism, including its respect for people, culture, history, and community.
It is an example of how humanity and nature can coexist in harmony.
“A leading tourist attraction on the global stage, Table Mountain encapsulates not just the essence of natural beauty but a forward-thinking ethos that ensures its wonders will be preserved for generations to come,” says Hercules. “Please vote for us. We need your support to bring home yet another international accolade.”
Votes are cast online by the public, as well as by tourism professionals, whose votes carry extra weight.
Table Mountain is nominated alongside Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro Conservation Park. This is a category that Table Mountain has won five previous times.
For more voting information, go to https://www.worldtravelawards.com/nominees/2024/africa