During the Standing Committee on Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Agriculture, on Wednesday (February 27), Wesgro revealed that international arrivals to the Western Cape remained steady, showing growth of 0% between January and November 2018 when compared with the previous year. However, the province remains positive as it faced many challenges during this period.

Despite a lack of growth in international arrivals over the past year, numbers remained steady in the face of the province’s worst drought in a century, and unfavourable conditions in traditional markets such as the UK, where uncertainty surrounding Brexit and a weaker pound-euro exchange rate have discouraged travel, according to Tertuis Simmers, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Economic Opportunities, Tourism, and Agriculture.

 “I will be meeting with Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Agriculture, Beverley Schäfer, to determine what her department is doing to grow tourism numbers in the upcoming season,” said Simmers.

Simmers said it was also worth noting that between December 2017 and December 2018, travel to Robben Island had increased by 27.9%; visits to the Wilderness National Park by 22%; and travel to the Table Mountain Cableway had increased by 5.8%. This is in line with Wesgro’s strategic goal to grow tourism across the province by empowering municipal and local government to use local attractions to stimulate tourism and create jobs.