The dawn of 2024 brings with it a palpable sense of optimism in South Africa’s tourism and hospitality industry. Building on the momentum gained in 2023, the sector is set to experience a transformative year. This surge is evident in the significant increase in reservations from the UK and USA, largely attributed to the new direct flight routes from Cape Town to the USA.
At the time of the announcement, James Vos, the Mayoral Member for Economic Growth and Tourism at the City of Cape Town described this development as a “big boost” for the tourism and hospitality industry in the city.
“The Delta route comes on top of the United Airlines announcement that it will be resuming direct flights between Cape Town and Newark/New York in June 2022, ahead of their initial schedule,” he said at the time. Since then, the Western Cape’s October Tourism Report for 2023 indicated a 57% increase in international passenger traffic, signalling a renewed global interest in South Africa as a…