‘Choose Cape Town’ campaign launched to boost tourism, job creation

Source: Supplied

"This latest campaign builds on the momentum of our highly successful marketing efforts by the Tourism and Place-Marketing Branch within the City's Economic Growth Directorate, which last year reached millions globally – 8,2 million people in U.S. cities like New York, Miami, Washington, and Atlanta; and 3,3 million in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

"In 2022, we reached a staggering 25,4 million people across European cities. We've also extended our reach to travellers through the first two editions of our This is Cape Town magazine, available online in airport lounges around the country and on Kenya Airways flights.

"Meanwhile, our recent content partnership campaign generated over 2,6 million impressions, strategically targeting key international cities such as Lagos, Nairobi, Harare, Gaborone, Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rome, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Zurich, Sydney, Miami, and New York. To ensure broad engagement, the content was translated into multiple languages," says Alderman Vos.

This campaign falls within the five-point action programme identified by Alderman Vos which is being implemented in collaboration with City teams and our business partners, such as Cape Town Tourism and Wesgro, and the private sector, to drive the tourism economy forward. These are the action points: expand flights, boost cruises, drive conferences, diversify tourism and do targeted marketing.

Cape Town’s tourism achievements:

• A total of 853 019 international flight arrivals between January and July 2024, which is 11% more compared to the same period in 2023.

• A 7% increase in domestic flight arrivals with 2,026,238 people.

• The cruise ships sector brought R1.2bn to the local economy in 2023 through passenger spending and ship services.

• For every 30 arriving cruise passengers, the Western Cape cruise industry created one full-time job.

• The Gross Value Add (GVA) of tourism published by Cape Town Tourism, the City’s official Destination Marketing Organisation, reached an estimated R27,3bn in 2023, representing 7,7% of the metro’s total GVA. This is well above the 2019 GVA of R24.5bn.

• The tourism industry employed 91,378 people in the metro last year, representing 5,9% of the city’s total employment.

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"Expanding flight routes, encouraging the increase in cruise ships from Cape Town, and attracting more events and conferences are all key parts of the programme.

"The City funds the Convention Bureau to secure and support these conferences, which brings delegates who spend money in our businesses – from accommodation to retail and beyond.

"These events not only introduce new ideas and connections to Cape Town, but also directly contribute to our local economy. The Bureau secured 30 bids for the April 2023 to March 2024 period, which poured R1,03bn into the region," says Alderman Vos.

Supporting tourism-connected businesses

"I firmly believe that if we continue to focus on these key touchpoints, we can not only boost the volume of arrivals and increase spending, but also create one tourism-related job in every household in Cape Town. This is why we will continue to push forward with projects that create jobs and opportunities in our communities.

"This coming Tourism Month, I will share exciting new initiatives, including a platform for exploring the region’s wonderful wines, videos showcasing our diverse cuisine, the official launch of our Responsible Tourism Charter, and an international airline partnership campaign that promises to further elevate Cape Town's global appeal," says Alderman Vos.

The Economic Growth Directorate's Tourism and Place-Marketing Branch leads these campaigns and initiatives to position Cape Town as a top global destination.