No drought in tourists visiting Cape Town as numbers soar

THE Mother City has been presented with many challenges lately, with water shortages high on the list.

But through it all, Cape Town is still a favourite among tourists, as visitor numbers continue to increase.

Cape Town Tourism’s annual general meeting recently gave insight into successful activities between July last year and June this year.

Cape Point led the way at a 20% rise year-on-year: 1 173 236 visitors.

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway had 1 167 598 visitors and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden 980 168 visitors.

Cape Town International Airport surpassed the 5 million arrivals, with arrivals on international flights growing 25% year-on-year.

Cape Town Tourism chief executive Enver Duminy said: “With consistent visitor growth and development of products and experiences across the city, we see many more opportunities before us. With growth in tourism comes responsibility to all of us to ensure water savings measures are taken, from prominent messaging to practical solutions, to promote the sustainability of the sector.

“Whether we are supporting emerging businesses or sharing our love for Cape Town around the world, Cape Town Tourism will continue to tell the Cape Town story to reach new audiences.”

A partnership with CrescentRating, a globally recognised rating and accreditation service for halaal-friendly travel services, brought workshops and training sessions to create awareness and help prepare local tourism businesses to unlock the potential in the halaal travel market.

A chef exchange programme has also been initiated to boost halaal travel. – Staff Writer