In the previous fiscal year, the cruise industry contributed approximately R1.2 billion to the Western Cape economy. This year, it is anticipated that around 90 000 passengers and 38 000 crew members will disembark, further bolstering the region’s economic activity.
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Friday, 11 April marked a historic moment as two iconic cruise liners, the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria, simultaneously docked at the Port of Cape Town for the first time ever.
The Queen Mary 2, completing a 30-day voyage from Hong Kong, made a turnaround call in the Mother City. This involved the disembarkation and embarkation of passengers for its next voyage to New York in the US.
Meanwhile, the Queen Victoria made a brief stopover for a turnaround call before proceeding to Walvis Bay in Namibia.
Since Transnet and the V&A Waterfront finalised an agreement in 2015, with the V&A taking over all internal operations, significant improvements have been made to the Cape Town Cruise Terminal.
The revamped area now boasts a vibrant food market featuring restaurants and coffee shops, as well as a boutique craft gin distillery and brewery.
South African ports are experiencing increased traffic as vessels divert away from the Red Sea due to security concerns posed by Yemen-based Houthi rebels targeting containers, cruises and other ships using the Suez Canal en route to or from Europe.
The MSC Virtuosa, the largest cruise ship to ever dock in a South African port, recently made a stop at the Port of Durban’s Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal. This stop was necessary for refuelling and restocking as part of its altered route to Europe, avoiding the risks of the Red Sea.
According to a report by Wesgro, the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, the cruise industry has made a substantial economic contribution to the province. It generated approximately R1.2 billion during the 2022/23 season.
The agency anticipates approximately 90 000 passengers for the 2023/24 season. While cruise ship passengers typically do not spend large sums on accommodation and hospitality upon disembarkation, as their voyages often include all meals and accommodations on board, the benefits are realised over the long term.
Studies indicate that 63% of cruise passengers revisit destinations they initially explored during a cruise ship excursion.
‘This is important for the Western Cape. This repeat tourism can increase incrementally over time as international visitors are introduced to the Western Cape and become regular visitors,’ Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander said.
Bob Dixon, the sales director for Cunard Line, the Southampton-based shipping company that owns the Two Queens, among other vessels, said that passengers consistently rate Cape Town highly. He attributed this to the city’s appeal and the favourable exchange rate of the rand against major currencies like the dollar, euro, and pound. Consequently, passengers are more inclined to spend money at restaurants and shopping malls during their time in the Mother City.
Approximately one full-time provincial job is created for every 30 cruise passengers who arrive.
‘The current 2023/24 season is seeing 65 confirmed ship visits with an expected 90 000 passengers in the 2023/24 season, we know that roughly 3000 new permanent jobs have been created in this season alone,’ said Mireille Wenger, Western Cape MEC for finance and economic development.
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Picture: @Wesgro / X