Cape Town: A game-changer for Tourism and their Investment has been introduced. Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos released his official statement.
He began his statement by mentioning the restrictions faced by the South African flights and said that for too long, South Africa’s aviation sector was held back by outdated restrictions that were imposed on flights. Protectionist policies and bureaucratic red tape have made it harder and more expensive for the airlines to operate, limiting their competition, pushing up the ticket prices and ultimately reducing the number of visitors that they can welcome.
James Vos have always been a vocal advocate for an Open Skies policy, by making direct submissions to national government to push for a more competitive and accessible air travel market.
While delivering his speech Vos also shared the latest data, the collected record confirms:
- Liberalising air routes could create 155,000 new jobs and will contribute R24 billion to the GDP annually.
- For every 100 international air travellers, two local jobs are created as of data supplied by Wesgro till 2022.
- Cape Town International Airport exceeded its 2024 passenger targets by 125% which proved that the demand is there.
Driving Open Skies is a Game-Changer for Tourism and Investment
MMC for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos has said that they have already seen what happens when they open the door to more flights. Thanks to the Air Access initiative, Cape Town has added new direct routes to key markets, by increasing passenger volumes and boosting local businesses.
However, they can’t stop there. Vos explained that is they want to compete globally; they need full-scale Open Skies reform to unlock the true potential of the tourism sector.
Strengthening Global Connections
James Vos further stated that they have just returned form a trade mission to India, where he engaged in high-level meetings with tourism leaders and airlines to strengthen the tourism and business ties.
Key focus of the discussion was to motivate direct flight between India and Cape Town, with a move that would significantly boost the arrival of the visitors and trade opportunities.
Moreover, Vos truly believes in the power of air access to grow city economies. He has personally been involved in shaping the air access strategy. He is proud to say that Cape Town is currently connected to 31 destinations worldwide, with 217 international flights landing every week during the current peak period. This is the power of proactive aviation advocacy in action.
Investing in the Future of Travel
Open Skies is just one piece of the puzzle. They also need the right infrastructure to support growth. That’s why they are pushing for the expansion of the airport capacity, the modernisation of the ports and improvements to the rail network.
These fall outside the direct control of the City of Cape Town. They are actively driving efforts to ensure that Cape Town remains the one and only stunning destination, but also an accessible and efficient one.
Tourism is not just about selling a destination, it’s about creating a seamless experience, right from the moment when a traveller books their ticket to the moment they arrive and explore the incredible city.
This is why the Cape Town is investing in place marketing, trade promotion and tourism training to ensure that every visitor leaves with a positive experience and comes back for more.