The City of Cape Town’s Draft Tourism Development Framework (TDF) is set to be a game-changer for tourism in Cape Town.
Opening for public comment from April 2, the TDF provides a tourism development strategy and implementation framework for the City of Cape Town for the calendar years 2019 to 2023. The draft framework proposes the following programmes and activities for the next five years:
- Ensuring visitor comfort.
- Improving and diversifying products and experiences.
- Stimulating demand.
- General community involvement, benefits and support.
- Planning and organising for growth.
James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, says: “The draft TDF is set to be a tourism game-changer. There is a huge opportunity for us to tap in to Cape Town’s cultural and heritage diversity, which is a major asset that should complement the positioning of Cape Town as the most beautiful city in the world. There is an array of authentic cultural experiences in the city that we need to amplify to give travellers a holistic experience.”
The TDF will also explain the support to be given to entrepreneurs, service trainers and mentorships that will be extended to existing and prospective entrepreneurs in the selected areas. These mentorship programmes are to be launched in partnership with the mainstream tourism industry of Cape Town, including through local branches of Fedhasa and the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (Satsa).
“While tourism has flourished over the years in the City Bowl and peninsula, many people living in the Cape Flats and informal settlement areas have not been privy to experiencing tourism first-hand and, as a result, do not value the potential benefits and importance of tourism economic growth, which includes taxes for social services, business opportunities and job creation. A successful and sustainable tourism industry relies heavily on the support of residents for sharing local infrastructure and resources with visitors and of ensuring the safety of visitors as well as the level of general hospitality that is shown towards tourists. Tourism stakeholders have rated a lack of such support as an aspect of concern that needs to be addressed by the City,” says Vos.
The Draft Tourism Development Framework is available for download here.
All interested and affected parties have until April 24 to submit their comments and recommendations.
Comments and recommendations may be submitted via the ‘Have your say’ option on the City’s website.
