South Africa: Cape Town and the Western Cape Shines at Mitteleuropa Roadshow and expanded connections with the key European Travel Markets.
The official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency ‘Wesgro’ put efforts to position Cape Town and the Western Cape as a world-class travel destination. It placed them to front and centre at the recently held Mitteleuropa Roadshow.
Reportedly, the roadshow was observed in Munich and Hamburg, Germany from September 16 to 20, 2024. It was a prestigious event which provided a vital platform for strengthening the relationships with European Travel Markets, especially within Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The roadshow also opened-up new opportunities for growth through engaging Destination Dialogues and targeting one-on-one meetings.
However, Wesgro was able to connect directly with key travel trade professionals and positioned Cape Town and the Western Cape as a must-visit destination. These interactions ensured that the region remained at top of mind for European travelers particularly in the German speaking language markets, which are evolving rapidly.
Germany remains as a leading source market for the region with South African Tourism. Notably, it reported a 41% growth in German visitors last year in 2023, in comparison to year 2022.
Other than iconic attractions of Cape Town, visitors have increased and are drawn to the untapped beauty of the Cape Winelands. The rugged charm of the West Coast and the scenic routed that wind through the Garden Route.
As per the sources, the region offers seamless access to a wide array of experiences from immersive nature escapes to rich cultural and outdoor adventures with 18 direct flights from Germany to the Western Cape each week.
The Mitteleuropa Roadshow was observed as the German and Swiss African tour operators have returned to good health. They hired new staff across the board report record levels of requests.
It is a timeless appeal of Sub-Saharan Africa as a tourism destination is as strong as ever. And, the recent geopolitical developments have increased the pull towards the region: Southern and Eastern Africa is perceived as stable.
It was anticipated already that the long European winter is beginning and it is the time when the traditionally most people plan their holidays and it is an excellent time for African tourism.
For the next edition, the officials are planning to organize it at the key hubs of Munich and Hamburg to provide the maximum coverage with buyers from across Southern Germany and Northern Germany.