On Thursday, the United Kingdom (UK) removed South Africa from their ‘red list’ which signals the start of rebuilding the countries fragile tourism sector.. This is especially great news for the Western Cape which is a major tourism driver.
In a statement, MEC David Maynier, said this decision brings an end to a baffling diplomatic shamble that risked the economic recovery of the tourism and hospitality sector in the Western Cape.
The UK is a key source market for tourism in the Western Cape. In 2019, approximately 194,900 UK tourists visited the Western Cape, spending on average R24,200 per tourist.
“The decision couldn’t have come at a better time allowing long-separated friends and families to reunite and the many tourists who regularly visit the Western Cape to enjoy our affordable and unique attractions over the summer season. Of course, this will also provide much-needed relief for the tourism and hospitality sector, supporting our economic recovery in the Western Cape,” he said.
The first British Airways flight, between London and Cape Town International, welcoming visitors back from the UK will land on 1 November.
Maynier says plans have been put in place to take advantage of the opportunity, and the pent-up demand to travel from the UK to South Africa with:
- Running a social media campaign across our tourism promotion accounts @DiscovertCTWC welcoming UK tourists back to the Western Cape;
- Launching our ‘Neverending Tourist’ consumer campaign in-market to trade and stakeholders followed by a big drive into market during UK “booking peaks from January 2022;
- Joining South African Tourism on their virtual platform at World Travel Market London in November; and
- Inviting UK tourism trade and media to experience some of our key experiences and attractions in the Western Cape so the destination is front-of-mind for their clients.
Government plans to continue to do everything they can to ensure the recovery of the tourism sector by tackling barriers to growth, increasing connectivity to the region and running our award-winning destination marketing campaigns that showcase the best that Cape Town and the Western Cape has to offer.
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