South Africa: Cruise Cape Town celebrated a record-breaking cruise season of 2024-25. It is a catalytic project powered by Wesgro, that continues to showcase the powerful impact of strategic collaboration by marking its longest and most successful cruise season till date.
Reportedly, the 2024-25 cruise season concluded with the departure of the Crown Princess. It has been nothing impressive in short, including 83 ship calls, 11 inaugural visits and a record-breaking 22 ship visits in March alone.
Previously, the 2023-24 season generated R1.32 billion for the regional economy and supported 2,000 jobs, underscoring the major economic impact of cruise tourism and its growing importance to the Western Cape.
The economic impact assessment of the 2024-25 season will now be undertaken, and they will look forward to sharing insights when completed.
Cruise Cape Town Project
The Cruise Cape Town project aims to boost the cruise tourism sector in Cape Town and the Western Cape, South Africa by attracting more cuisine ships and passengers. It is a collaborative effort between public and private sector partners, including the Western Cape Government, the City of Cape Town, and the V&A Waterfront.
This project mainly focuses on economic growth, destination promotion, and sustainable development.
Cruise Cape Town key objectives:
The project has its own major objectives to accomplish, that are:
- Economic Growth – Attracting more cruise liners to Cape Town is expected to generate revenue through port fees, increased tourism spending, and job creation.
- Destination promotion – The project highlights diverse attractions of Cape Town that aim to enhance its reputation as a premier cruise destination.
- Sustainable Development – Cruise Cape Town emphasizes responsible tourism practices, including community engagement and environmental conservation, to minimize the ecological impact of cruise tourism.
Partnerships and Initiatives through the Project
The project for season 2024-25 is aiming to build partnerships by taking effective initiatives. First is by collaboration – the project involves key stakeholders like the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), the City of Cape Town, V&A Waterfront, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), and Wesgro.
Secondly, through Infrastructure Development – the V&A Waterfront, operator of the Cape Town cruise terminal, is dedicated to enhancing the visitor experience. Thirdly, Strategic Location – Cape Town is positioned as the gateway to Africa for cruise itineraries, offering a variety of experiences for passengers.
Expected Outcomes of Cruise Cape Town Project
There are some results that are being anticipated through the Cruise Cape Town project which are expected to receive as outcome, such as:
- Increased Cruise Visits – The project aims to significantly increase the number of cruise ships and passengers visiting Cape Town.
- Economic Boost – A rise in cruise tourism is anticipated to lead to increased tourism spending, job creation and overall economic growth in the region.
- Positive Impact on Various Sectors – The project is expected to benefit various sectors, including hospitality, transportation, retail, airlines, travel agents, and port service providers.