The Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, recently hosted her second annual “Summer Tourism Readiness Dialogue”, which brought together key stakeholders from the tourism and hospitality sector in the Western Cape.
The primary objective of this gathering was to strategise and finalize plans for the upcoming summer tourism season in the Western Cape, which is expected to set new records.
In a display of the Western Cape’s excellence, eight tourism and hospitality brands based in the region were recently honoured at the World Travel Awards Africa (WTAA).
These awards went to brands including Cape Town International Airport, the City of Cape Town, Port of Cape Town, Labotessa Luxury Boutique Hotel, and the Silo Hotel at the V&A Waterfront.
Furthermore, there are encouraging projections for Cape Town International Airport (CTIA).
The airport is expected to increase its seat capacity by an impressive 25% compared to the previous year, exceeding 1 million inbound international seats for the first time.
Minister Wenger also emphasised the recent international awards in the sector, attributing them to purposeful actions and collaboration.
She expressed gratitude to sector partners for their commitment to excellence and their contributions to the well-being of the province’s residents.
Despite past achievements, the minister stressed the ongoing work required to ensure the success of the upcoming season and future seasons.
Shifting focus to the concept of remote work arrangements, James Vos, the mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Tourism in the City of Cape Town, introduced this idea following the Covid-19 lockdown.
In February, Vos told IOL: “Since then, we have been advocating for the introduction of a remote working visa due to its substantial economic benefits for the industry. Our research indicates that a special visa would attract more international visitors, particularly digital nomads who can work from anywhere in the world."
In addition, Cape Business News reported Minister Wenger’s commitment to making it easier for international visitors to holiday in the Western Cape and South Africa by addressing the inefficiencies in the visa system.
She welcomed the Department of Home Affairs’ commitment to implementing the long-awaited Remote or Digital Nomad Visa by the end of March next year.
Aldermen Vos supported this point in February this year, emphasising the economic potential of a remote working visa and the attractiveness of the Western Cape to digital nomads.