Western Cape has working holiday plan
• Provincial government, Wesgro team up with Airbnb
In a bid to boost SA’s ailing tourism sector, industry players aim to take advantage of remote working options available to many workers to encourage local travel. The Western Cape government, trade promotion agency Wesgro and accommodation platform Airbnb have launched a campaign to promote remote working “vacations”.
In a bid to boost SA’s ailing tourism sector, industry players are aiming to take advantage of remote working options now available to many workers to encourage local travel.
Covid-19 has led to more employees working from home, making remote working “vacations” possible. This provides the tourism sector with an opportunity to grow the domestic market amid a slump in international travel.
The sector is a key jobs driver and before Covid-19 struck it contributed about R118bn to SA’s economy. It has gradually started to recover as the government lifts lockdown restrictions, with its revival largely driven by the domestic market.
The Western Cape government and the provincial trade and investment promotion agency Wesgro, in partnership with short-term home rental online platform Airbnb, launched a campaign to promote remote working “vacations”. As part of the campaign, hosts on Airbnb are able to offer monthly discounts of up to 50% for reservations of 28 days or longer, and the platform has filters to help guests to find domestic stays easily.
Hosts and guests on Airbnb collectively contributed R8.9bn to the local economy in 2018, supporting the equivalent of 22,000 jobs.
Velma Corcoran, regional lead for Middle East Africa at Airbnb, said remote working vacations are becoming increasingly popular in SA.
“We are thrilled to partner with Wesgro to promote domestic tourism through longer term stays, while supporting economic recovery in Cape Town and the Western Cape,” Corcoran said
Western Cape premier Alan Winde said: “Supporting a recovery and protecting jobs in the tourism industry requires us to think innovatively and embrace emerging trends in travel. Digital nomads have the flexibility to stay longer, because they can work from anywhere. The Western Cape is ready to welcome these visitors and provide them with a place to explore while they work.”
Discussions with Airbnb started in 2020, as the provincial government sought innovative solutions to support the tourism economy.
Western Cape economic opportunities MEC David Maynier said the campaign could not have come at a better time as more people work from home and as increased digitisation gives flexibility to working locations.
“The Western Cape is a great place to live, work and play, and our partnership with Airbnb will ensure that those looking for remote working locations will consider Cape Town and the Western Cape. Our tourism and hospitality sectors have been hard-hit by the pandemic, and this initiative is one of the many ways that we are working hard to support the sector and rebuild our economy in the Western Cape,” Maynier said.
Wesgro CEO Tim Harris said the campaign would drive the recovery of the sector. “Cape Town and the Western Cape is the ultimate destination for those who want more out of their working environment. There are over 30 co-working spaces and 715 free Wi-Fi spots in the city of Cape Town alone — with many options in the greater Western Cape province. We are excited about this joint effort to attract domestic audiences to our wellequipped destination.”
THE WESTERN CAPE IS READY TO WELCOME THESE VISITORS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A PLACE TO EXPLORE WHILE THEY WORK