The Western Cape has seen the launch of seven new routes and the expansion of ten more since the inception of an air access programme in 2015.
According to Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille, passenger traffic has increased by 16% since the establishment of Cape Town Air Access, a partnership between the City, Wesgro, Cape Town Tourism, the Western Province government and Airports Company South Africa.
“Improved air connectivity is a tool of social and economic progress – connecting us to global markets, enabling trade and tourism and helping businesses operate more efficiently. It is metaphorically and literally our ticket to participate in the worldwide economy,” said De Lille. “For the City of Cape Town, we especially want to zone into the opportunities presented by African destinations like Kenya and Ethiopia. As a local government, we have taken a decision to grow business opportunities between ourselves and these two countries.”
Deon Cloete, general manager for the Cape Town International Airport, said the airport remained a critical gateway for the province.
“We have seen solid passenger volume growth over the past few years. Passing the 10-million passenger mark is a significant milestone for the region. At the airport our focus will be on ensuring that we are able to efficiently respond to all of the complexities that this growth brings,” he said.
