Direct Air France flights boost for CT

File photo: In Paris, Air France has grounded dozens of flights scheduled for Monday, as the pilots' strike goes into its third day.

File photo: In Paris, Air France has grounded dozens of flights scheduled for Monday, as the pilots' strike goes into its third day.

Published Nov 7, 2011

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In another confidence boost for local tourism, Air France has become the 17th international airline with flights directly to Cape Town.

The first direct flight between Cape Town and Paris took off from Cape Town International Airport on Thursday night.

At a grand ceremony last night, Economic Development and Tourism MEC Alan Winde attended the departure of the first flight to Charles de Gaulle Airport, a major European economic travel hub.

With the addition of Air France, the average number of international flights to Cape Town will increase to 12 a day.

Winde welcomed the development, saying: “International air lift is a critical factor for the growth of our tourism industry.

“Increased direct flights open further opportunities for business and leisure tourism, and stimulate competition between airlines which results in lower fares. Cape Town has become a favourite destination for travellers around the world, scooping several international awards this year.

“Air France’s commitment reiterates this confidence in our tourism industry.

“On the back of these positive events, and the hard work we’ve put in to market the destination in our traditional and new markets, I am looking forward to a good summer season.”

Cape Town Tourism spokeswoman Skye Grove said: “This is welcome news for leisure and business tourism in the Cape.

“The availability of direct flights to Cape Town influences traveller behaviour and buying patterns, and is critically important for the long-term sustainability of our business and leisure tourism industries.” - Cape Times

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