Brazil is a key source market for South Africa – with around 77 000 Brazilian tourist arrivals in 2019 – but there is still room for growth in terms of strengthening ties between the two nations and drawing more South American tourists to Cape Town.

A direct flight between the Mother City and key source markets in Brazil, and surrounding countries, will have a noticeable effect on travel between the regions, according to the Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos.

Vos, along with CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Enver Duminy, returned from WTM Latin America over the weekend, where a key part of their mission was to lobby for direct flights between Latin America and Cape Town.

Vos and Duminy were in talks with DMCs, airlines, and outbound tour operators and other relevant bodies including the Rio Tourism Authority, the Investment Facilitation Agency for São Paulo, the Municipal Chamber of São Paulo, and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency.

“We attended World Travel Market Latin America to position Cape Town as a destination of choice to visit, work, and invest,” said Vos.

The Cape Town group made a case for a South-to-South link with Pedro Spadale, the Head of International Relations at Rio Municipal Government, Affonso Emilio Massot, the Municipal Secretary of International Affairs in São Paulo, and Vusumuzi Mavimbela, Brazil’s Consul General for South Africa.

Vos said: “In order to boost jobs, trade, inbound tourism, and ultimately grow Cape Town’s economy, we must seek out opportunity in markets that are in some respects, still untapped. This mission was all about strengthening partnerships in order to drive supply and demand for the benefit of Cape Town’s businesses, industries, and economy.”