South Africa: Wesgro’s engagement with China drives new investment momentum for the Western Cape. It is the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, marketing the destination at global level.
Wesgro is strengthening tourism, trade and investment ties with China to drive economic growth for Cape Town and the Western Cape.
At the First Overseas Investment Conference in Shanghai from March 25 to 28, 2026, Wesgro engaged with leading Chinese investors and institutions, positioning Cape Town and the Western Cape as a strategic partner in critical minerals beneficiation and green industrialisation. The key partnerships were also reinforced with Invest Shanghai and the Shanghai Pudong New Area Foreign Investment and Trade Promotion Centre to support Chinese investment into the region.
Back at home, Wesgro participated in the China-South Africa Trade Cooperation Forum in Cape Town, where over 350 business leaders gathered. Wesgro highlighted China as a key export market and emphasised the importance of a new direct route to boost tourism growth. It also highlighted the shared data on FDI from China into the Western Cape over the last decade.
The key insights include:
- China’s outward investment, which is accelerating, and is now surpassing inbound flows.
- South Africa is a priority growth market with strong sector interest, with the Western Cape well-positioned to leverage this growth.
- Chinese tourists visiting South Africa are expected to grow in the year ahead.
- Wesgro has a strategic focus on unlocking this growth for the province, including securing a direct route to Cape Town.
Stronger strategic partnerships and targeted tourism, trade and investment facilitation efforts are positioning the Western Cape to attract greater global capital flows.
Recently, Wesgro represented South Africa at ITB Berlin. There it remained focused on driving inclusive and sustainable tourism growth. It continued to position Cape Town and the Western Cape on the global stage while attracting more visitors from key international markets.
ITB Berlin is one of the world’s leading travel trade shows, here Wesgro showcased the destination alongside 22 tourism SMMEs supported by the National Department of Tourism’s Market Access Support Programme. This engagement strengthened global trade partnerships and opened doors to new business opportunities.
At the same time, the Africa Showcase Latin America Roadshow expanded the reach across Brazil and Mexico, building demand and raising awareness in these high-potential markets.