Cape Town: Economic Growth Directorate of City of Cape Town has launched a comprehensive guide that makes celebrated wine routes of Cape Town accessible at just a touch of a button.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos unveiled it officially. For seasoned connoisseurs or if just simply being curious, the guide showcases the best of the region’s renowned wine estates and hidden gems.
Alderman Vos explained that it is an initiative stemmed from his drive to spotlight the unique wine experiences in and around the city.
He said, “I have always believed that our world-class wines represent a fantastic value proposition for the tourists and for economic growth.”
Considering this, he encouraged the Tourism and Place Marketing Branch to develop the guide. He expressed that it’s about highlighting the rich wine culture of Cape Town and helping people to explore the stunning wine farms. He added that wine tourism is one of the Western Cape’s biggest drawcards.
According to James Vos, in the year 2022, wine tourism contributed a staggering R3.05 billion towards the economy of South Africa, which is more than R2.4 billion recorded pre-Covid.
As per an impact study by the South African Wine Industry Information and Systems, the wine industry in the province created more than 245,000 jobs, that year, with 3.36 jobs were generated for every R1 million capital investment.
It is more than double the national average of 1.18 jobs. These are the award-winning wines which are vital for job creation and economic development. The guide will make it easier for locals and visitors alike to explore new farms or revisit old favourites.
A local guide offers detailed information on wine regions and an interactive WhatsApp channel. It features around 40 wine farms across three iconic routes.
Notably, Constantia in the Southern Suburbs, Helderberg (which is a sub-route of the Stellenbosch Wine Route) and the Durbanville Wine Valley.
James Vos further explained that with just a few taps, people can dive these wine routes using Google Maps or by engaging with the interactive WhatsApp channel. He said that the officials will find everything from wine varietals to restaurant offerings and scenic venues.