The sustained tourism recovery in international arrivals seen over the last few months, when compared with pre-pandemic levels, has continued, with recovery rates at Cape Town International Airport’s (CTIA) international terminal reaching the highest level over the last five months.

Domestic two-way passengers at CTIA increased from 407 626 in June to 456 785 in July. Total two-way domestic passengers in 2021 reached 4.2 million. Total two-way domestic passengers between January and July of this year already stands at 3.4 million, and bodes well for the rest of the year.

These findings were included in Wesgro’s July 2022 report, a monthly publication providing insights into tourist arrivals and travel trends in the Western Cape.

Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger said: “I am very pleased with the continued recovery we are seeing in the tourism and hospitality sector, across many indicators such as air travel, key source markets, hotel occupancy as well as visitors to our many and diverse attractions. 

“I am also thrilled that passengers through George Airport have essentially fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, reaching a recovery rate of 99%. I met with the management of George Airport this week and heard that between January and March of this year, an impressive 190 000 passengers passed through the airport and that they have exceeded their capacity and hope to implement expansion plans over the next few years.”

Key findings included in the Wesgro report for July are:

• July 2022 performance indicated that passengers through CTIA’s international terminal reached a recovery rate of 87% when compared with the same month in 2019. This is the highest recovery rate over the last five months.
• Domestic recovery in July, however, was 68% after remaining at 70-80% recovery since the start of the year. 
• Passengers through George Airport recovered to 99% when compared with the same month in 2019.
• Year to date (as at May 2022), UK ranked as the top source market to Cape Town (via air), followed by Germany, the US, Netherlands and France. 
• Europe has regained its position as the Western Cape's top region for tourist arrivals, with six out of the top 10 source markets to Cape Town originating from the region.
• Eight out of the top 10 source markets to Cape Town (via air) already recovered to more than half of the number of tourist arrivals recorded over the same period in 2019.
• Hotel occupancy for the Western Cape stood at 44.3% in July 2022, representing a recovery rate of 84% when compared with 2019. 
• The Average Daily Rate (ADR) for the Western Cape grew to R1 432.76 (€84)and RevPAR (Revenue per Average Room) reached R634.13 (€37). 
• ADR exceeded June 2019 levels, recovering to 111% and RevPAR reached 93% recovery.
• Footfall at 25 participating attractions recorded a total of 33 695 visitors in July 2022, a 124% year-on-year growth in the number of visitors and a recovery rate of 83% when compared with July 2019.
• The top-five highest year-on-year growth rates in July 2022 were recorded for Robben Island; Cango Caves; Table Mountain National Park; Boulders Beach Viljoensdrift River Cruise; and Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. 
• 14 out of the 25 attractions exceeded their July 2019 visitor numbers. Remarkable recovery rates of over 200% were achieved at the TableMountain Aerial Cableway, Kogelberg Nature Reserve and Knysna National Park.

Wenger noted: “A key focus of our tourism strategy will be for the Western Cape to match the increase in recovery rates for international visitors, with an increase in domestic tourism recovery rates, which is critical for the growth and the sustainability of the sector. That is why this Tourism Month, our message to South Africans is to explore the remarkable beauty our province has on offer.”

According to Wenger the tourism and hospitality sector contributes significantly to the Western Cape’s economy. “In fact, in 2019, the gross value added by this sector was R15.5 billion (€411 million) and supported 174 982 direct jobs, which does not even consider indirect jobs created across the entire tourism value chain. We have everything we need to not only recover to pre-pandemic levels but to far exceed them, boosting our economy and creating many more jobs for residents in the Western Cape.”