New 3-year Cape Town Tourism, CoCT agreement to assist 'tourism-preneurs'

Julie-May Ellingson, chairperson of the Cape Town Tourism Board

“This three-year agreement affords Cape Town Tourism a period of continuity to focus on and execute areas of the revised Tourism Development Framework (TDF). The strategy sets out five new focus areas that include ensuring visitor comfort, improving and diversifying products and experiences, stimulating demand, generating community involvement and benefit, and organising for growth.

“My immediate priority is to oversee the implementation of the TDF with our partner Cape Town Tourism and the tourism industry, to facilitate sustainable job creation in a depressed economic climate. This will help to establish ‘tourism-preneurs’ while transforming the tourism landscape in Cape Town into a thriving tourism business ecosystem that drives demand,” said the city’s mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management, including Tourism, James Vos.

Building on Cape Town’s reputation

“The Cape Town Tourism Board is extremely pleased to have secured a three-year contract with the City of Cape Town. This is testament to the faith that the city has in Cape Town Tourism’s ability to effectively deliver on the city’s mandate to promote tourism. We look forward to working with all role players in this sector to build on Cape Town’s excellent reputation and address the challenges facing this important sector,” said Julie-May Ellingson, chairperson of the Cape Town Tourism Board.

In recent months, Cape Town Tourism has embarked on a number of major initiatives, geared to bring even more visitors to the city. The launch of the most recent curated tourist routes in Khayelitsha is one example of this. “The new three-year deal will allow Cape Town Tourism to rollout projects such as the Neighbourhood Route projects in more localities over and above Khayelitsha. The development of these curated routes has benefited my business tremendously. As a member of Cape Town Tourism, I am excited for the opportunity they have been given to continue their planning to market more aggressively for the ultimate benefit of us, their members,” said Abigail Mbalo, owner of 4Roomed eKasi Culture Restaurant in Khayelitsha.