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Cape Town - Summer in the Western Cape saw an increase in GP number plates making their way from town to town, according to Wesgro (the Western Cape’s official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency).
More visible this season was the number of international visitors seen at our key attractions and beaches. It’s no wonder then that Cape Town and the Western Cape have experienced one of its best summer seasons to date.
With 5 028 362 visitors during November and December 2014, the V&A Waterfront experienced its best year to date, exceeding 24 million visitors over the course of the year for the first time.
Other big attractions like Kirstenbosch also saw a spike in visitor numbers over the summer period, attracting 86 117 and 116 986 visitors for November and December respectively. Its November percentage change seeing a 23% spike and December realising a 31% increase in visitors when compared to the same period for 2013.
Judy Lain, chief marketing officer at Wesgro said the province remains a big draw card for both domestic and international visitors alike.
“The continued increase in visitor numbers is confirmation that our beautiful scenery, amazing activities and friendly people edged throughout our province continues to draw visitors from far and wide. We are confident that visitor numbers from across the Province will paint a positive picture for tourism over the summer season,” she said.
Mossel Bay conducted a survey which indicated that visitors to their information offices were up from 2013 figures.
Other key attractions in the province that experienced good year on year growth when comparing December 2013 to 2014 include the West Coast National Park which welcomed 36 598 visitors in 2014 compared to 35 852 in 2013, while the Wilderness National Park on the Garden Route increased its December numbers by 21.7%, hosting 25 495 visitors in 2014.
Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, Kogelberg Nature Reserve, Bontebok National Park, Agulhas National Park and Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, all in the Cape Overberg, experienced increases in visitor numbers.
Cape Town International Airport arrivals for December 2014 make for very good reading. International arrivals were up by 3.2%, regional arrivals which includes departures from Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia, increased by 13.8%, while the domestic arrivals make up the majority during December with 6.5%.
“The increase in visitor numbers throughout the province is reassuring to an industry that contributes more than R18bn to our provincial economy annually and employs approximately 150 000 people," said Lain.
"The fact that the province has experienced a good season is encouraging and reflects the hard work done by the industry to promote tourism. It is important that we keep this momentum going in 2015 as we continue to invite visitors to discover Cape Town and the Western Cape."
