Conde Nast has listed South Africa as one of the 2021 Best Holiday destinations and has named a number of hotels in Cape Town and the Western Cape as must-stay locations for travellers.
Executive Mayor Dan Plato says these remain positive signs for the future recovery of the tourism sector, despite the impact of Covid-19. “The listing of South Africa as a top travel destination for 2021 is great news for Cape Town and with all the City’s plans in place to welcome visitors back to our shores, we are well-positioned to support our local tourism sector.”
Mayor Dan Plato says to support the continued appeal of Cape Town as a tourist hotspot there are ongoing plans to promote our beautiful city as a remote working hub, particularly for international travellers to use their time here as a balance between work and leisure.
‘I am pleased to see that Cape Town and South Africa continue to be seen as sought after locations for visitors. The global Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on international travel and tourism all over the world, but there is still much to be seen and experienced as innovation becomes the focus of recovery. International travellers could soon use our city as a base for remote working as the landscape of working changes, allowing for a new approach to how business is done. As the tech hub of the continent, we are well-suited to offer the remote worker a suitable base of operations, while being able to enjoy all the attractions and sites of our beautiful city,’ said Executive Mayor Dan Plato.
As recently announced by Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, the City of Cape Town has a strategy to promote remote working with this week’s launch of the Digital Nomad initiative to encourage domestic and international audiences to consider Cape Town as a future remote destination for work with Covid-19 safety protocols in place. This is in partnership with Cape Town Tourism.
Safe Travel Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council
Cape Town is also one of the first major metros in the country to receive the Safe Travel Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council, which provides further incentive for remote working.
‘With thousands of residents relying on the tourism industry – from hotel and B&B staff, to coffee baristas, restaurant staff, tour guides, operators and many others, we need to get visitors back to our shores. I am very pleased to see that my colleagues as well as the industry are thinking out of the box to ensure the recovery of this critical sector,’ added Mayor Plato.
The City of Cape Town is engaging national government for a possible Remote Working Visa to boost the tourism industry, which could create more commercial and job opportunities.
Stemming from the City’s Tourism Task Team, stakeholders in the sector and official destination marketing organisation, Cape Town Tourism, a ten-point strategy has been developed to help the tourism industry adapt and survive in the challenging months to come. To view a presentation on the ten-point tourism strategy,
PHOTO: Two Oceans Aquarium CEO Michael Farquhar, the City’s Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato and Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, Alderman James Vos tour the reopened aquarium last year to mark Tourism Month.
See also Cape Town Green Map
