LIFESTYLE BY RAINE ST.CLAIRE
Tourism in Cape Town and Western Cape
W
ill the 2023 number of tourists to Cape Town break all previous records?
The recent release of the 2023 Report on Tourism for the Western Cape & Cape Town by Wesgro sheds light on exciting trends in tourist numbers, raising the question of whether the 2023 figures will surpass all previous records. KEY INSIGHTS AND FINDINGS The report reveals several encouraging trends that indicate promising growth in the number of tourists visiting the city and province. International
tourist numbers have seen a significant 90% year-to-date increase compared to 2022 figures. However, domestic tourist numbers have experienced a slight decline of 3% year-todate compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, international tourist numbers are on track to surpass pre-pandemic levels, while domestic tourist numbers are currently at 80% of the levels recorded in 2019. APRIL TRENDS AND DATA Statistics for April 2023 showcase the overall tourism performance during that month. International two-way passengers through CTIA (Cape Town International
32 | Public Sector Leaders | July 2023
Airport) reached 218,325, representing a remarkable 39% year-on-year growth and a full recovery compared to April 2019. Domestic two-way passengers passing through CTIA totaled 574,528, reflecting a 7% increase from April 2022 and an 80% recovery compared to April 2019. During April 2023, Cape Town recorded a total of 67,747 tourist arrivals via air, with 87% originating from overseas markets and 13% from the African continent. The report highlights the UK as the leading source market to Cape Town, followed closely by Germany, the USA, the Netherlands, and France.
