OVERVIEW Tourism
OVERVIEW Tourism Capetonians can now fly direct to São Paulo. SECTOR INSIGHT Airport and cruise liners set records. The 317 000 two-way passengers who passed through Cape Town International Airport in December 2023 set a new record, as did the 145 000 cruise-ship passengers who docked at the Port of Cape Town between October 2022 and May 2023. Both numbers attested to the attractiveness of the Western Cape as a tourism destination, but also to the success of dedicated programmes designed to make travelling to the Cape easier for longhaul destination visitors. The Air Access Cape Town campaign, an initiative to entice airlines to Cape Town, created more than 750 000 new inbound seats between its inception in 2015 and 2020, adding something like R6-billion to the provincial economy. Since then, several airlines have added Cape Town to their rosters, with LAM Mozambique Airlines’ inaugural flight from Maputo, Mozambique, touching down in December 2023. Bombardier CRJ-900s will fly the route three times per week. South African Airways (SAA) announced in June 2023 a direct, non-stop flight connecting Cape Town with São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. Annual numbers for the airport also created a new record in 2023, with more than 2.8-million passengers passing the benchmark set in 2019. The Cruise Cape Town initiative saw a doubling of cruise ship visits in 2022/23, up to 75. Like Air Access, the cruise ship programme is led by Wesgro, the province’s investment promotion agency. On the last weekend of January 2024, three cruise ships were docked at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal, releasing 3 100 passengers and 1 400 crew to spend their foreign currency in the region. ONLINE RESOURCES Cape Nature: www.capenature.co.za Garden Route and Klein Karoo: www.visitgardenrouteandkleinkaroo.com George Tourism: www.georgetourism.org.za Wesgro estimates that R1.9-billion in foreign direct tourism spend was injected into the Western Cape economy in December 2023. Southern Sun reported good figures for that month across all segments, including leisure and business travel. The Southern Sun Cullinan, adjacent to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), will undergo a full winter refurbishment in 2024. The CTICC enjoyed an excellent year in 2023. The Western Cape Provincial Government wants to promote education in the arts. Based on research which found that 6% of employment in South Africa is in the cultural sector, the Western Cape will expand the traditional STEM emphasis to include two additional As: Arts and Agriculture. Grand Parade Investments (GPI), which has sold some of its non-core assets such as Burger King, will delist from the JSE. The company intends to exit the gaming business where it has a minority share in Sun Slots, which operates limited payout machines (LPM). GPI is a shareholder in companies that operate casinos in the Western Cape and, with a 15% stake in SunWest International, GPI is connected to the Table Bay Hotel and the CTICC. ■ WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2024 36 PHOTO: Design Lab
International Public Art Festival comes to Cape Town SPECIAL FEATURE The city became an open-air gallery for the eighth edition of a global showcase. Cape Town is stepping into the limelight as a global art destination. The eighth edition of the International Public Art Festival (IPAF), a transformative celebration of public art and creative collaboration, was held in city in February 2024. Baz-Art, a pioneering non-profit organisation, proudly presented the festival with the theme “CoACT | C0LLAB”. This year’s edition aimed to redefine Cape Town’s cultural landscape and highlight its emergence as a prominent global art destination. Local and international artists converged to create large-scale murals, turning the city into an openair gallery of diverse artistic expressions. The theme emphasises creative collaboration, breaking down barriers between different art forms, disciplines and cultures. This collaborative approach aims to redefine public spaces, making them vibrant hubs of cultural connection and community engagement. A highlight of IPAF 2024 was the blending of art and activism (“artivism”) to raise awareness on critical issues. The Rhino Project, featuring artist Roa from Belgium, unveiled a mural inspired by his time in a rhino conservation project in South Africa. The support from the Delegation of Flanders in South Africa was significant in realising this impactful initiative. Guided tours, starting at the Company’s Garden, offered an immersive experience, allowing participants to explore the city’s creativity. During the festival days, attendees witnessed the live artistic process of local and international artists. Additionally, Art in the Park Workshops catered to kids and seniors, making art accessible to all ages and fostering community engagement. About Baz-Art: Baz-Art is a non-profit organisation established in 2016, dedicated to producing art in public spaces and creating opportunities for street artists. Through initiatives like IPAF, Baz-Art aims to grow awareness of the impact of public and urban art, fostering creativity and community engagement. ■ PHOTOS: Kyle Judd Smith, Filmshark Studios
