industry news January 2012

From the CEO: 2011 - 2012 summer season

We wish all of our members a happy and prosperous new year and hope that the challenging times faced by the tourism industry in the past two years are behind us.

Indeed, Cape Town Tourism members seem to be of the opinion that we have turned the corner. More than half of the members who participated in a mid-December poll indicated that they expected the 2011/2012 season to be marginally better than the previous summer. Members reported a marked improvement in patronage of restaurants, shops and attractions in December, with the accommodation sector has also seen a positive holiday upswing.

Tourist numbers seem to be improving beyond what was initially anticipated and there is every indication that we are at the start of a booming peak season. Comprehensive industry statistics are not yet available, although Cape Town International Airport reported an earlier start to the season with a 14% increase in international arrivals compared to November 2010.

During November 2011 there was an 11.7% increase in regional arrivals on the previous year and a 3.6% increase in domestic arrivals.

January and February are traditionally peak months for international arrivals, and a stronger year-on-year increase in international tourists is expected compared to last year. Read more from the CEO here.

To all members who have participated in our surveys so far, thank you for your input. We will be conducting more research throughout the season and will keep members updated on the results as they become available. 

Enver Duminy
Acting CEO: Cape Town Tourism

Events targeted as growth catalysts

Fireworks over the V&A Waterfront, a joyous tide of Cape Minstrels marching through the Bo-Kaap and celebrations on our beaches are as much part of the Mother City’s cultural fibre and the lure that it holds for visitors as that of Table Mountain, a jazz safari or cycling through the Somerset West winelands.

The National Department of Tourism (NDT) drafted a National Tourism Sector Strategy in 2011 to guide the responsible growth of the South African tourism industry and establish our country as one of the world’s top 20 destinations by 2020. The development of business and events tourism was identified as a key priority for the strategy and the final draft National Events Strategy was recently released for stakeholder comment. Implementation and action plans for the strategy will be developed during the fourth quarter of the 2011/2012 financial year.

There are certain factors critical to the success of a framework designed to optimise the potential of events tourism. Read more.

Tourism on the agenda

The Cape Minstrel Carnival is an annual event. Image © Cape Town Tourism

Cape Town Tourism continues to work with industry members in 2012 to optimise the opportunities around events. For us, two of the major benefits of events tourism are the potential that it has to combat seasonality and to spread the benefits of tourism geographically across the metropole.

We are currently running an online competition with the organisers of the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and a number of Cape Town Tourism members offering a free trip to the world’s most beautiful marathon. Read more here and be sure to encourage your guests and visitors to enter.

The J&B Met, another iconic Cape Town event, will be taking place on January 28 this year and Cape Town Tourism is partnering with group-buying company Ubuntu Deals to package tourism products in Kenilworth and surrounds with event tickets. These packages will be promoted via online marketing.

To view the Cape Town Tourism event calendar created for summer 2011/2012, click here. We are pleased to say that these pocket-sized calendars are flying off the shelves at our Visitor Information Centres and the Cape Town International Airport.

Upcoming events

Iconic Cape Town:

Heineken Cape to Rio Yacht Race
January 14 and January 21
Royal Cape Yacht Club, Cape Town
+27 (0)21 421 1354
www.rcyc.co.za

J&B Met 2012
January 28
Kenilworth Racecourse
+27 (0)21 700 1808
www.jbmet.co.za

Cape Town Pride Festival 2012
February 24 to March 4
Cape Town City Bowl
0861 9 PRIDE (77433)
www.capetownpride.org

Design Indaba 2012
February 29 to March 2
Cape Town International Convention Centre
+ 27 (0)21 465 9966
www.designindaba.com

Upcoming events

Unexpected Cape Town:

The Old Biscuit Mill. Image © Cape Town Tourism

Kirstenbosch Old Mutual Summer Sunset Concerts
Ongoing until April 8
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
+27 (0)21 761 2866
www.webtickets.co.za

Bay Harbour The Market
Friday to Sunday (opening times apply)
31 Harbour Road, Hout Bay
+27 (0)82 570 5997
bayharbour.co.za

Full-moon picnic at the Taalmonument
January 19
Taalmonument, Paarl Mountain
+27 (0)21 872 3441
www.capetown.travel/whats-on

Secrets of the Baxter tour
January 28
Baxter Theatre Centre, Rondebosch
+27 (0)21 424 3572
www.capetown.travel/whats-on

Cape Town Stadium open for visitors

The Cape Town Stadium Visitor Centre is now open to the public.

The City of Cape Town has designed a special tour where visitors are guided through the hallways of the stadium to the players’ change rooms, the on-site police cells and the VIP hospitality areas. Sport-lovers will also get the chance to “run onto the field” as they are given the opportunity to see the world-class pitch up close.

Visitors to Cape Town Stadium can also explore the Biodiversity Showcase Garden in the adjacent Green Point Park. It features over 300 plant species from the greater Cape Town region, as well as themed areas and displays including “Gardening for Biodiversity”, “Everything is Connected”, a Khoikhoi food garden, medicinal plants and a display of veld types.

Tours start daily from Tuesday to Saturday at 10h00, 12h00 and 14h00.

Read more here.

TCD Trust: Tourism gives back in 2011 

The Tourism Community Development Trust (TCD Trust) is a Cape Town-based non-profit organisation with a tourism focus. Its objectives include making a difference at grassroots level in South African communities by consolidating the fundraising and social investment efforts of companies within the South African tourism industry.

The TCD Trust aims to “provide access to direct and indirect fundraising efforts for identified projects as well as to educate the broader community about the role that tourism and hospitality stakeholders can play in bringing about real change in our society”.

The trust currently has 10 projects and in 2011, through the efforts of the TCD Trust and the support of its members was able to:

• supply books, computers and furniture to Blomvlei Library.
• plant trees, remove litter, donate books and read to learners on Mandela Day.
• host the TCD Trust fundraiser dinner, sponsored by the Mount Nelson Hotel sponsored the TCDfor the second year in a row raising R130 000 for RGG Crèche.

The TCD trust is always in need of further assistance. Click here to visit their website and find out how you can make a difference.