The City of Cape Town with Table Mountain in the background. Picture: Unsplash
Western Cape tourism is growing and showing signs of recovery. According to Mireille Wenger, the provincial minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, a report compiled by the Western Cape government’s (WCG) tourism, trade and investment promotion agency, Wesgro, showed that 53 participating attractions across the six regions of the Western Cape recorded a total of 3 206 546 visitors between January and April 2024.
Wenger noted that this was a 17% growth in the number of visitors when compared with January to April 2023.
“I always look forward to receiving these monthly reports as they contain such promising news of growth that I know will translate into benefits and jobs for residents across the Western Cape,” she said.
Other highlights from the report compiled by Wesgro showed the top five participating Western Cape attractions with the highest volume of visitors between January and April 2024.
Table Mountain National Park came out tops with 1 176 683 visitors and Table Mountain Aerial Cableway received 425 515 visitors.
Table Mountain National Park: Cape of Good Hope received 371 620 visitors, Table Mountain National Park: Boulders saw 319 766 visitors and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden received 251 301 visitors.
Wenger said that the growth in the tourism sector showed promise that the WCG’s ambitious goal set out in their economic action plan, “Growth For Jobs” (G4J), was starting to deliver practical results.
“G4J aims to double the number of visitors to the province by 2035 to enable a R1 trillion, jobs-rich, inclusive, diverse, and resilient provincial economy that is growing at between 4% and 6% in real terms.
“Together, we can realise this vision across the economy, to lift many more residents from poverty into prosperity,” said Wenger.