Cape Town’s film sector is on track to bring in over R5 billion in foreign investment by October 2025 – and it’s not just production houses that are reaping the benefits. According to the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), the city’s inner-city hospitality scene is playing a leading role in this economic success story.
Between January and May 2025 alone, the City of Cape Town’s Film Permits Office issued 550 permits for productions shot in the CBD. In the broader picture, from November 2023 to June 2024, the industry attracted more than R2.5 billion in foreign-backed film investment.
‘The real protagonist of this surge in filming activity is the inner-city hospitality industry,’ said Grant Elliott, COO of Thibault Investments and Deputy Chairperson of the CCID, speaking to Property Wheel.
Film crews, often in town for weeks or even months at a time, have helped redefine the city’s typical visitor profile. Between November 2023 and June 2024, production teams racked up over 59 000 bed nights in Cape Town, spending close to R148 million. Hotels, guesthouses and aparthotels saw an influx of high-value, long-stay bookings – but the economic impact didn’t stop at accommodation. Restaurants, shops, bars, transport services, and even laundromats have all seen a boost.
And demand isn’t just for sleep. Film teams are increasingly booking office space in the CBD – by the hour, day, or year – reflecting a growing need for agile working hubs that serve the industry’s dynamic schedules.
Elliott believes Cape Town’s film-friendly policies, coupled with initiatives like South Africa’s new digital nomad visa (which allows foreign creatives to work remotely for up to 36 months), will cement the city as a year-round creative destination. The visa is a strategic move to support Cape Town’s evolving economic profile.
‘We’re already noticing fewer seasonal dips,’ Elliott added. ‘In what used to be off-peak winter months – May through August – our occupancy figures are significantly stronger than last year.’
The Western Cape is already the primary engine for South Africa’s foreign-funded film projects, accounting for about 80% of the national total. With every rand spent on production estimated to generate an additional R2.50 in the local economy, Cape Town’s starring role in the global film scene seems destined to become a long-running feature.
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