Cape Town - The iconic V&A Waterfront is preparing itself for a bleak Christmas as it struggles to recover after the destruction caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than 450 shops, 180 business tenants, 101 entertainment activities and more than 80 eateries are all relying on getting business up and running.
V&A Waterfront's marketing executive Tinyiko Mageza said: “It would be disingenuous not to acknowledge the Waterfront and the businesses within the Waterfront have been impacted by the lockdown.
“At the most extreme level which was level 5, our footfall dropped to about 3 000 visitors per day and this is coming off from the basis that we got 80 000 to 100 000 off peak.”
Mageza said as the restrictions eased and more tenants started opening their businesses, recovery started but was not enough.
“As matters stand now we are sitting at about 80% to 70% of what our typical footfall would be on a day like this. It goes without saying that our restaurants had to manage their capacity significantly and the extent to which they normally would trade has been affected and as the Waterfront we have quite a strong international presence that is no longer here,” she said.
Mageza said there was a delicate balance of lives and livelihoods playing out.
“Many of the source markets that come to Cape Town are experiencing a second wave, while our borders may be open we need to take into account that the borders in Europe, the UK and US are not open and we had to relook at how this could incentivise this for locals as well. But the economy has taken a huge knock as well,” said Mageza.
Without the international footfall the Waterfront is expected to carry on at the same levels with 30% reduction.
Back in September Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane made a plea with domestic tourist operators to lower their prices for locals.
She said she had received complaints from the public regarding the prices because most popular tourist areas were unaffordable for many locals. Mageza said many retailers had heeded that call.
“Our charter operators are offering amazing deals and they have seen a recovery. Restaurants across the property have also done so, there's a lot for more price conscious consumers and there’s a diverse mix activity,” she said.
undefinedundefinedThis year the Waterfront is creating a sense of neighbourly belonging and shared thanksgiving, marking it with a symbolic African Tree of Hope as the centrepiece of its message.
This year’s festive decorations are once again the result of collaborative effort between local artists, makers, tenants and children from community programmes, who will use the platform to showcase their work to the large number of visitors expected to pass through the precinct during the festive season.
Visitors can also experience some of the finest cuisine with the new local food space “Makers Landing” located at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal.
“We have loads of activity and loads to do and I encourage the public to check our social media platforms. The future is calm heads and calm minds and continuing to support our tenants and create a safe and responsible way to visit the waterfront and provide a sense of assurance," she said.
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