Cape Town: The Mayoral Committee of Tourism has recommended the appointment of Cape Town Tourism (CTT) as the official Destination Marketing Organisation of the city for the coming three years.
Mayco will submit the final report to Full Council for adoption. However, the recommendation means that the Economic Growth Directorate of the City of Cape Town can now begin drafting the terms of the new Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) between the city and CTT.
Considering this, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos said that the new agreement will define the key outcomes expected from Cape Town Tourism in its role as the official DMO of the City of Cape Town. This further includes delivering destination management and marketing services to continue boost the visitor arrivals, and in turn increasing economic benefits across the metro.
According to Vos, working with CTT is one of the most valuable in-roads of the city going to the industry and helps them in shaping the tourism landscape in ways that create job opportunities and support the economy.
The tourism sector contributed an estimated R27.3 billion to the local economy in year 2023, while supporting approx. 91,000 direct jobs as a vital pillar of the growth strategy.
With the new Service Delivery Agreement (SDA), the Cape Town Tourism will see several new changes, such as:
- Operate Visitor Experience Centres at strategic sites, as well as at major events and activations.
- Implemented targeted domestic and international marketing campaigns that are focused on conversion to bookings.
- Run the TravelWise programme, by assisting tourists during emergencies and helping to ensure their well-being.
- Work with local tourism businesses to improve product readiness.
- Support tourism development and information services aligned with city priorities.
Additionally, the City of Cape Town is developing a new long-term tactical plan titled Tourism Strategy by the year 2029. The strategy will mainly focus on several priority areas, namely:
- Improving geographic spread of tourism to ensure wider community benefit.
- Growing connectivity to more global target markets.
- Establishing a Mayoral Advisory Committee on Tourism to align efforts across government and industry.
- Addressing growth inhibitors such as seasonality, safety and transport challenges.
- Reinforcing Cape Town’s leadership in responsible tourism and universal access.
- Coordinating marketing efforts across entities to ensure one clear, global message for Cape Town.
To this, Alderman James Vos further stated that they are not just reaching to change, they are shaping the future of travel. The officials in the Place Marketing Branch of the city are building a strategy that factors in shifting trends and demands while continuing to centre unique destination value proposition of the Cape Town.
James Vos clearly presented their goal, which is to achieve sustainable growth in both international and domestic arrivals, by increasing visitor spending and direct employment within the industry. This is a great opportunity to go bigger, be bolder and amplify Cape Town’s position as a destination with unforgettable experiences while unlocking real, and lasting benefits for Capetonians.