Cape Town - Tourism attractions and offerings in the Western Cape have once more gained the praise and recognition of the international travel market.
This after eight Western Cape-based tourism and hospitality brands were awarded and crowned the best at the World Travel Awards Africa (WTAA).
The WTAA is part of the World Travel Awards established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries.
Cape Town International Airport, the City of Cape Town, Port of Cape Town, Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel, and the Silo Hotel situated at the V&A Waterfront were among the eight attractions to receive international recognition at the WTAA.
Commenting on recognition of the province’s offerings, Western Cape Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC Mireille Wenger said she was delighted that so many of the incredible offerings in the Western Cape were recognised on such a prestigious world stage.
“The closer we get to our summer peak period, the more reasons we have to expect a record-setting season. This is very exciting because the tourism and hospitality sector contributes significantly to our economy and especially to job creation in the Western Cape.”
City Mayco member for economic Growth James Vos said the awards were a testament to Cape Town’s rich diversity of assets that reveal and celebrate our people and products.
“It is gratifying to see that our aim as the City government to work with and alongside operators, businesses and communities to drive sustainable, authentic and varied travel experiences continues to resonate with tourists from all over the world.”
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: “We are proud to receive continued recognition in these prestigious awards, confirming Cape Town as a leading tourism destination on the continent. The variety of experiences available to local and international visitors makes us a unique destination for travel and leisure.
“The tourism industry continues to breathe life into our regional economy and global recognition only increases the numbers of tourists wanting to visit our city, creating more employment opportunities and boosting the local economy.”
Meanwhile, the DA’s spokesperson on tourism, Manny de Freitas, said he would be formally writing to Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille to ask her to explain the intentions of her department regarding the White Paper on tourism.
De Freitas said: “The White Paper will threaten opportunities for small-scale tourism entrepreneurs by attempting to regulate those who wish to earn extra income by renting out rooms, cottages or any space that can be made available to tourists.”
In September, De Lille welcomed the Cabinet’s concurrence of The Green Paper on the Development and Promotion of Tourism in South Africa to be published for public comment.
This after the Tourism Ministry embarked on a process of reviewing the 1996 Tourism White Paper. The policy review process then yielded the Green Paper on the Development and Promotion of Tourism in South Africa.
According to the Department, the 1996 Tourism White Paper predates many of these government frameworks, particularly the NDP, thus necessitating alignment.
“The country’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) identifies tourism recovery as one of the priority interventions to drive the reconstruction and recovery of the economy. The Tourism Sector’s Recovery Plan also identifies the need to review the policy framework to support the sector’s growth,” the department said.