Reshaping strategies around the various modes of transport – including establishing the Mother City as a top cruise  destination in Africa – is one of the cornerstones of the City of Cape Town’s tourism recovery plan.

Speaking during a recent webinar, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, James Vos, noted that updating cruise ship and air access strategies were integral parts of the city’s plans to promote tourism post-COVID-19.

The cruise industry has been a focus of the city’s recovery plan since the early stages of lockdown in April. The City of Cape Town had reported on the Invest Cape Town online platform that, prior to COVID-19, the port of Cape Town was growing in popularity as a stop for international cruise ships and that this offered enormous potential for tourism growth.

The 2019/2020 cruise season, which ran from November to March, was due to see 30 cruise ships make 49 calls in Cape Town. Several of these were cancelled due to the pandemic. The 2020/2021 season showed increased growth with 32 cruise ships expected to make 67 port calls.

The value of the cruise industry in Cape Town is undeniable. A cruise ship carrying 2 000 passengers injects up to R2 million (€96 800) per day into the local economy, according to the city’s estimates.