Leading up to Tourism Month in September and the upcoming visitor season, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos, has unveiled the new ‘Choose Cape Town’ branding campaign at Cape Town International Airport, which he hopes will drive tourism figures and create even more jobs in the sector.
The new branding will greet arriving and departing travellers at the airport’s international terminal, inviting them to ‘choose ocean adventure, investment opportunities, colourful culture’ and much more.
Vos says this latest campaign builds on the momentum of 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 travelers 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, content was translated into multiple languages.’
This latest campaign falls within the five-point action programme identified by Vos which is being implemented in collaboration with City teams and business partners, such as Cape Town Tourism and Wesgro, and the private sector.
The action points are:
- Expand flights
- Boost cruises
- Drive conferences
- Diversify tourism
- Conduct targeted marketing
Since January 2024, Cape Town has recorded a total of 853 019 international flight arrivals, which is 11% more compared to the same period in 2023. There has also been a 7% increase in domestic flight arrivals with 2 026 238 people.
The cruise ships sector has also proven its worth, bringing in R1,2 billion to the local economy in 2023 through passenger spending and ship services. Vos says for every 30 arriving cruise passengers, the Western Cape cruise industry created one full-time job.
The Gross Value Add (GVA) of tourism, as published by Cape Town Tourism, the City’s official Destination Marketing Organisation, reached an estimated R27,3 billion in 2023, representing 7,7% of the metro’s total GVA. This is well above the 2019 GVA of R24,5 billion.
The tourism industry employed 91 378 people in the metro last year, representing 5,9% of the city’s total employment.
‘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 R1,03 billion into the region.’
