Conde Nast has listed South Africa as one of the top travel destinations for 2021 and has named a number of hotels in Cape Town and the Western Cape as must-stay locations.
“Like many countries, South Africa’s tourism industry has been through the wringer of late. But while the world has taken a forced break, a new generation of genre-busting creatives have been busy shining a light on the most diverse cultural community on the African continent. Biennales, fairs and new artist-run spaces are at the helm of the country’s enlivened art scene, with exciting local artists – including twin sisters Noncedo and Nonzuzo Gxekwa – getting prime wall space at galleries such as the Maitland Institute and The Centre for the Less Good Idea,” Conde Nast said in its official list.
South Africa is listed along with other beautiful countries including Greece, Indonesia and Costa Rica.
Executive Mayor Dan Plato says these remain positive signs for the future recovery of the tourism sector, despite the impact of COVID-19.
“The listing of South Africa as a top travel destination for 2021 is great news for Cape Town and with all the City’s plans in place to welcome visitors back to our shores, we are well-positioned to support our local tourism sector,” said Executive Mayor Dan Plato in a statement.
“I am pleased to see that Cape Town and South Africa continue to be seen as sought after locations for visitors. The global Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on international travel and tourism all over the world, but there is still much to be seen and experienced as innovation becomes the focus of recovery.
He continued: “International travellers could soon use our city as a base for remote working as the landscape of working changes, allowing for a new approach to how business is done. As the tech hub of the continent, we are well-suited to offer the remote worker a suitable base of operations, while being able to enjoy all the attractions and sites of our beautiful city.”
As recently announced by James Vos, MayCo Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, the City of Cape Town has a strategy to promote remote working with this week’s launch of the Digital Nomad initiative to encourage domestic and international audiences to consider Cape Town as a future remote destination for work with COVID-19 safety protocols in place. This is in partnership with Cape Town Tourism.
Cape Town is also one of the first major metros in the country to receive the Safe Travel Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council, which provides further incentive for remote working.
‘With thousands of residents relying on the tourism industry – from hotel and B&B staff to coffee baristas, restaurant staff, tour guides, operators and many others, we need to get visitors back to our shores. I am very pleased to see that my colleagues as well as the industry are thinking out of the box to ensure the recovery of this critical sector,’ added Mayor Plato.
The City of Cape Town is engaging national government for a possible Remote Working Visa to boost the tourism industry, which could create more commercial and job opportunities.
Stemming from the City’s Tourism Task Team, stakeholders in the sector and official destination marketing organisation, Cape Town Tourism, a ten-point strategy has been developed to help the tourism industry adapt and survive in the challenging months to come.
To view a presentation on the ten-point tourism strategy, click here: https://bit.ly/3rHrY4I
Picture: Supplied
