Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC Mireille Wenger says preliminary findings on the impact of the recent Heritage Day long weekend storms show the Overberg and Cape Winelands regions were the hardest hit.
Her department is among other things, trying to understand the impact of the storm specifically on tourism and hospitality businesses across the province.
The 5 most affected towns (based on responses to a preliminary survey) are Franschhoek (11,81% of respondents), Kleinmond (9,45%), Hermanus (8,66%), Betty’s Bay (7,87%) and McGregor (7,09%).
Wenger says it is vital for to get as much information we can on the impact of the storm, so government will be able to prioritise needs.
She has encouraged as many tourism and hospitality businesses as possible to participate in the online survey, which will be kept open to ensure as many stakeholders as possible are able to give their inputs.
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Preliminary findings of the survey include:
- The majority of the responses received are from private businesses (accounting for 91% of responses), while it is clear that state owned attractions such as parks, botanical gardens, resorts and camping sites have also been affected.
- The five most affected towns (based on responses to date) are Franschhoek (11,81% of respondents), Kleinmond (9,45%), Hermanus (8,66%), Betty’s Bay (7,87%) and McGregor (7,09). The damage sustained was therefore concentrated in the Overberg and Cape Winelands region although damage has also been reported as far afield as George.
- The affected properties are predominantly accommodation establishments (38% of respondents), restaurants/bars/cafes (19%), wine tourism attractions (8%), trail networks (6%) and retail stores (6%).
- 44% of respondents indicated that they have insurance cover, however some pointed out that not all damage/ losses sustained are covered. In addition, 26% of respondents are unsure whether they will be covered by insurance. 29% of respondents are not covered.
- 63% of respondents had to close their businesses temporarily.
Wenger lauded the industry’s ability to survive and come out stronger even as disaster strikes.
“The tourism and hospitality sector really has been through the wringer over the last few years, but I am heartened by its resilience and unique ability to bounce back. The sheer tenacity of this sector is remarkable – every person and business make a much-needed contribution to our economy and job creation. We need to do all we can to address the storm damage with purpose, so that we can robustly weather any future extreme events.”
Wenger says a bumper summer tourism season is expected, with 215 international flights per week into Cape Town International Airport from January 2024, up from 191 in the previous season.
She will be hosting an industry readiness event later this month, to make sure that the province is ready to welcome visitors across the province, following the storms.
Tourism and hospitality businesses are encouraged to participate in the survey so that the full extent of the damage can be mapped. Click HERE for the link to the survey.
