In April 2022, visitor numbers from the UK arriving at Cape Town International Airport recovered to 98% of pre-pandemic levels.
This is according to recent Statistics South Africa arrivals data recorded in April, which confirms a strong recovery for leading Western Cape source markets, when compared withthe same period in 2019.
Germany and the Netherlands also recovered strongly, recording 86% and 82% recovery rates respectively when compared with April 2019.
Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger said: “This is more good news for our tourism and hospitality sector, which is recording a sustained tourism recovery. But we all agree that we don’t just want to get back to 2019 levels, we want to far exceed them.”
She said this was why the Western Cape was boosting its destination marketing, tackling barriers to visitor access, and ensuring that Cape Town was connected to more cities around the world through its award-winning Cape Town Air Access programme.
“We also continue to focus on our domestic tourism market by encouraging South Africans to enjoy the diversity of experiences our province has to offer.”
Monika Iuel, Chief Destination Marketing Officer at Wesgro, commented: “It is extremely promising to see the return of loyal visitors and welcome new explorers to the destination from our key source markets.
“We’ve been targeting German, Dutch and UK travellers through our respective ‘Neverending Tourists’ international marketing campaigns, which have performed, and continue to perform, exceptionally well in these markets.
“From welcoming United Airlines’ increased service in February, to Air Belgium’s plans to launch flights to Cape Town from September, and Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to return to the Mother City starting November, we are confident that we are on the right track to surpassing pre-pandemic visitor figures.”
Wesgro CEO, Wrenelle Stander, agreed. “It is wonderful news that so many of our key source markets are rallying and that recovery is evidently more rapid than previously projected. As a result, we are optimistic that the coming summer season will be a strong one. We therefore call on businesses right along the tourism value chain to use the upcoming months to prepare their operations for the upcoming high season, to ensure that Cape Town and the Western Cape deliver exceptional holidays and business events for all visitors to our destination.”
Wenger highlighted that the Western Cape Government’s top priority was to grow the economy and create jobs, and the tourism and hospitality sector, in particular, will be key to achieving this goal.
“That is why we will continue to do whatever we can to get as many visitors back to the Western Cape, and as quickly as possible,” she said.
