Cape Town - More than two years after the pandemic and strict lockdown which saw travel bans placed on South Africa, international travel has seen a recovery of 76% in Cape Town and domestic by 75% with 27 000 passengers pass through airports last weekend .
The average charge for room accommodation went up from R991 to R1 971.
Mayco member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, James Vos, said Cape Town International Airport saw a recovery rate to both international and domestic travel.
Vos said tourism had increased the economy by R5.8 million in the City.
“The recovery of Cape Town’s visitor economy is a major gain for the city’s economy even though we haven’t yet fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
“Given that the sector contributes between 2% and 3.5% annually (pre-Covid) to the local economy and sustains up to 5% of all jobs in the city – not to mention those working in affiliate industries – we must do all we can to support local tourism.
“I’m happy to share that Cape Town International Airport’s most recent data shows a recovery rate of 75% for domestic passenger volumes in April, while international movements recovered to 76% in the same period in 2019.
“This past long weekend, the airport processed nearly 27 000 daily passengers.”
Vos said not only did airlines receive a boost, accommodation for rooms also increased by 66.6%.
“Alongside this, accommodation data for the Mother City is also looking very good with occupancy rates up for March reaching 66.6%, up from 39.8% in March 2021 with the average room rate for that month rising to R1 972, up from R991 in 2021,” he said. .”And last year, despite the ongoing pandemic and lockdown, tourism drove R5.8 billion into the city economy.”
According to a briefing of the Western Cape provincial parliament’s standing committee of finance, economic development, and tourism and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), the influx of airline passengers is expected to increase to 69% between 2022 and 2023.
ACSA further revealed that international travellers saw a recovery of 33%, while domestic travel recovered to 59% in South Africa.
DA Western Cape spokesperson on finance, economic development, and tourism, Gillion Bosman said: “(ACSA) revealed that the influx of airline passengers to South Africa has seen a recovery of 53% this year in comparison to the pre-pandemic levels in 2019 and is expected to increase to 69% in the 2022/23 financial year.
“ACSA also further revealed that the arrival of international travellers to South Africa, which has seen a recovery of 33%, is flagging behind domestic travel, which has recovered to 59% of pre-pandemic levels.
“And while there is some indication of further increases in international travellers this year, a slow response from the national Department of Transport will dampen this recovery if swift action is not taken.”
However, Bosman added that this didn’t resolve employment: “ACSA has forecasted that there will be a further recovery of 15% and 22% in domestic and international travel, respectively, this year but with the unemployment rate continuing to increase, we need a responsive national government which can facilitate bringing more tourists to our shores.”
The travel and tourism industry has also expressed its relief that Covid-19 restrictions on travelling were relaxed for children between the ages of five and 12 years of age. They no longer need to provide a negative PCR test when entering the country.
Otto de Vries, CEO of theAssociation of South African Travel Agents (ASATA), said they were happy about the news.
“ASATA is delighted with last night’s announcement that families with children between the ages of five and 12 years no longer need to provide a negative PCR test when returning to South Africa.“
Rosemary Anderson, national chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa), said this made travelling more convenient for families visiting South Africa.
“Fedhasa welcomes the issuing of the interim regulations which have changed the requirement for families with children. Children between the ages of five and 12 years no longer need to provide a negative PCR test when travelling to South Africa. The regulations now only require this from children over 12 years of age.”
Weekend Argus