Cape Town is having a bumper tourism season and it is good news all around. While South Africa has done little over the last couple of years to position ourselves as a good investment to foreigners and with the expropriation act making global headlines since Trump’s involvement, the performance of the Western Cape’s capital is a glimmer of hope for the country. Other than its magnificent skyline, what makes Cape Town such a special place to visit? And is it such a great city for locals too?
What makes a city a great choice for travellers?
- Diversity – people like to visit a city when it offers variety. Different cultural offerings, a rich history, natural beauty, interesting architecture and a choice of experiences at various price points.
- Convenience – travellers would be more positive about visiting a city if it is safe and clean, have a choice of accommodation options, easy airport access and reliable transportation, access to Wi-Fi, proper medical facilities and knowledgeable guides.
- Reputation – being known for certain landmarks, events or attributes make a city more attractive. The Eiffel tower in Paris, the Octoberfest in Munich or the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro of course. Sometimes a city has a reputation for being warm and welcoming and then there are cities with a reputation for their culinary offering, such as San Sebastián in Spain.
It is no surprise then that Cape Town has recently been acknowledged by some of the world’s leading publications for the quality of its tourism offering. In January this year, the Mother City was announced as Time Out’s Best City in the World, in November 2024 as the Conde Nast Traveller’s Best Food City as well as number five on the list of friendliest cities and in 2023 the Best City to Visit for the eighth year in a row by the Telegraph Travel Awards.
These recognitions acknowledge that Cape Town ticks the boxes when it comes to visitor demands. It offers exceptional variety, spectacular scenery, a rich and interesting history that is clear from its architecture and cultural offerings and it has an epic food and wine scene. Despite being a long-haul destination, the value of the ZAR makes Cape Town an affordable choice for travellers and it provides world class facilities without losing the charm of its warm and hospitable people.
Is Cape Town just as charming a place for those who reside there permanently? For many, Cape Town is a wonderful address with magnificent beaches and Table Mountain in their backyard. If you can use windy conditions to kite surf and wet winters to visit cozy restaurants or sip on the best reds from the Cape Winelands, you’ll also love the climate. There are many ways in which to enjoy the outdoor beauty and in a South African context, many would say that it is the safest of the country’s cities with the best maintenance of and investment in infrastructure.
But this is of course not the reality for all Capetonians. There is no denying the inequality, especially when it comes to spatial development and this is a real concern for anyone who loves the city and its people. In a candid conversation between Daily Maveric’s Associate Editor, Ferial Haffajee and Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis (listen here), he puts some of these concerns into perspective. Hill-Lewis mentions that a recent income distribution report by Stats SA shows that Cape Town is the least unequal city in South Africa. This is of course not saying a lot in a country with high levels of income inequality, unemployment, and regional disparities. It does, however, mean that at least in Cape Town, the efforts to stimulate the economy are making a difference. According to Hill-Lewis, our unemployment crisis is the country’s biggest reason for inequality. By optimising the assets of Cape Town, even when all Capetonians might not be experiencing it as part of their everyday lives in the city, the economy is growing and opportunities are created for employment, education, entrepreneurship and upliftment.
For those who live in informal settlements around Cape Town International airport, the increased air traffic from international airlines might not seem to make a difference, but it does. Caring for the poor is always a priority but creating wealth to ensure opportunities for everyone is equally important if we want to break the cycle of poverty.
Cape Town has much to improve upon, but it is an example of best practice for the rest of South Africa. No wonder that the Western Cape is a favoured destination for semi-grants, or people from other provinces. According to Business Tech, fourteen of the top fifteen towns with a net gain in homeowners are located in the Western Cape with Cape Town at the top of the list.
For many, Cape Town might be the number one city to consider when planning a holiday or choosing a new address, but that doesn’t make it perfect. What Cape Town does, however, is not to rest on its laurels but to use these accolades and recognitions to further set itself up for success, to create an environment for change and to give itself and its people the opportunity to improve and prosper.