The departures terminal at Cape Town International Airport. Picture: Unsplash
Air Botswana has beefed up capacity to Cape Town.
The carrier has added significant capacity to its Cape Town route network, facilitating greater business and leisure travel between the two destinations.
Cape Town Air Access, powered by Wesgro, revealed that Air Botswana will introduce several changes to its Cape Town schedule starting from November 1 this year.
Air Botswana’s new direct service connects Kasane to Cape Town with three flights per week. The addition of Kasane marks the 11th African destination to be added to Cape Town's route network since the start of the Cape Town Air Access project in 2015.
Air Botswana will also increase frequencies on its existing Gaborone-Cape Town connection from three to five scheduled services per week.
It will also launch a new route service connecting Maun to Cape Town, with three flights per week.
“Gaborone is Cape Town's best-performing city in Botswana, with over 28 000 passengers recorded in 2023. Maun, which ranks second behind Gaborone, has also seen incredible growth with a year-on-year growth of 30% in two-way passengers for 2023,” said Cape Town Air Access.
Wesgro CEO and official spokesperson for Cape Town Air Access, Wrenelle Stander, said the expansions by Air Botswana are expected to significantly boost the connectivity between the destinations, contributing to the economic growth of both regions.
“The inclusion of Kasane as a new regional connection within Cape Town's route network is a testament to the project's success in expanding Cape Town and the Western Cape's reach across the continent.
“This development reflects our unwavering commitment to fostering economic growth through strategic partnerships and enhanced connectivity," she said.
Commenting on the development, Western Cape Provincial Minister for Economic Development and Agriculture MEC Ivan Meyer, said government is thrilled about this venture, as it will open up new business investment opportunities.
“The enhanced connectivity is expected to significantly boost tourism, a key driver for the Western Cape and the broader economy-while also creating potential trade opportunities.
“Tourism, one of the industries that experienced rapid growth following the Covid-19 pandemic, plays a crucial role in the region.
“The Western Cape's significant domestic tourism market adds to its resilience, helping the industry smooth out seasonally induced fluctuations,” said Meyer.
Alderman James Vos, the City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, said the City of Cape Town took great pride in funding the Air Access Programme, as it directly supports their economic growth mission.
“This new flight from Botswana to Cape Town exemplifies our commitment to connecting with key markets across Africa. By enhancing our aviation links, we stimulate trade and travel, fostering greater economic activity and creating positive spin-offs for our local economy.
“We are excited about the opportunities this new route brings and the continued growth it will drive for Cape Town and our African partners,” he said.