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Cape Town is finally back to its buzzing, bustling self.

The tourism sector took quite a knock during the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it seems to have recovered in full now according to a monthly tourism report compiled by the Western Cape Government’s official trade, investment, and tourism promotion agency, Wesgro.

Wesgro reported that the share of overseas tourists to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) reached full recovery for April this year compared with pre-pandemic levels in April 2019, per the Tourism Update.

The airport saw an influx of 67 747 tourist arrivals, 87% of whom were coming in hot from overseas markets while 13% were reportedly from other African countries.

 

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The report noted that the European market remains the largest contributor to tourist arrivals into Cape Town, with seven out of the top 10 source markets originating from the continent.

Tourists from the United Kingdom made up the top source market to Cape Town (via air) between January and April 2023, closely followed by Germany, the US, the Netherlands and France in the top five positions.

Domestic flights were also on the up, with 574 528 domestic two-way passengers passing through CPT during April 2023. This registered a 7% increase over April 2022 and an 80% recovery compared to April 2019.

Lekker does it:

 

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Other highlights from the report include:

• International two-way passengers through CPT reached 218 325 in April 2023; 39% growth year-on-year and more than full recovery against April 2019 (106% recovery).
• The cumulative total of tourist arrivals between January and April 2023 reflected full recovery from six out of the top 10 source markets to Cape Town (via air), against the same period in 2019 (Jan-Apr cumulatively).
• These markets included the UK (104%), Germany (106%), the US (155%), the Netherlands (116%), Canada (105%) and Zimbabwe (170%). In addition, Belgium (98%) and Italy (92%) are rapidly nearing full recovery when compared with pre-pandemic levels.
• Footfall to 24 participating attractions across the six regions of the Western Cape recorded a total of 573 262 visitors in April 2023, a 50% growth in the number of visitors when compared with April 2022 and 91% of April 2019 numbers.

The report also took note of the most favoured tourist hotspots, with the top-five highest year-on-year growth rates in April 2023 recorded for Stony Point (194%), Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (67%), Table Mountain National Park: Cape of Good Hope (61%), Cango Caves (57%) and Table Mountain National Park (51%).

 

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Stunning. Bring on the moola.

Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, said that she is very pleased with this data, adding that the focus now is to “move beyond recovery and to focus all efforts on growing the tourism and hospitality sector because more tourists mean more jobs in the Western Cape”.

Yes, please.

[source:tourismupdate]