Attracting more international cruise liners to the Mother City is one the cornerstones of the City of Cape Town’s tourism recovery plan.
Speaking during a recent webinar, mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management, James Vos, said updating cruise liner and air access strategies were integral parts of the city’s plans to promote tourism post-COVID-19.
The City of Cape Town had reported on the Invest Cape Town online platform that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the port of Cape Town was growing in popularity as a stop for international cruise liners and this offered enormous potential for tourism growth.
The 2019/2020 cruise season, November - March, was due to see 30 cruise ships make 49 port calls in Cape Town – several of these were cancelled due to the pandemic. The 2020/2021 season showed increased growth with an expected 32 cruise ships making 67 port calls in Cape Town.
A cruise ship carrying 2 000 passengers injects up to R2m (€96 800) per day into the local economy according to the City’s estimates.
