In April 2023, the share of overseas tourists to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) reached full recovery compared with pre-pandemic levels in April 2019. In April this year, the airport recorded 67 747 tourist arrivals, 87% of whom originated from overseas markets and 13% from the African continent.

This is according to the monthly tourism report compiled by the Western Cape Government’s official trade, investment, and tourism promotion agency, Wesgro.

“I am very pleased that we have reached pre-pandemic levels of tourists to the Western Cape. Our focus now is to move beyond recovery and to focus all efforts on growing the tourism and hospitality sector, because more tourists mean more jobs in the Western Cape,” said Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger.

Other highlights from the report include:

• International two-way passengers through CPT reached 218 325 in April 2023; 39% growth year-on-year and more than full recovery against April 2019 (106% recovery).
• 574 528 domestic two-way passengers passed through CPT during April 2023; registering a 7% increase over April 2022 and 80% recovery vs. April 2019.
• Overseas tourists to Cape Town reached full recovery compared with pre-pandemic levels in April 2019.
• The United Kingdom led as the top source market to Cape Town (via air) between January and April 2023, closely followed by Germany, the US, the Netherlands and France in the top five positions.
• The European market remains the largest contributor to tourist arrivals into Cape Town, with seven out of the top 10 source markets originating from the continent.
• The cumulative total of tourist arrivals between January and April 2023 reflected full recovery from six out of the top 10 source markets to Cape Town (via air), against the same period in 2019 (Jan-Apr cumulatively).
• These markets included the UK (104%), Germany (106%), US (155%), the Netherlands (116%), Canada (105%) and Zimbabwe (170%). In addition, Belgium (98%) and Italy (92%) are rapidly nearing full recovery when compared with pre-pandemic levels.
• Footfall to 24 participating attractions across the six regions of the Western Cape recorded a total of 573 262 visitors in April 2023, a 50% growth in the number of visitors when compared with April 2022 and 91% of April 2019 numbers.
• The top-five highest year-on-year growth rates in April 2023 were recorded for Stony Point (194%), Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (67%), Table Mountain National Park: Cape of Good Hope (61%), Cango Caves (57%) and Table Mountain National Park (51%).