With the festive season around the corner, the City of Cape Town is shining the spotlight on township tourism and the economy.
On Monday morning 28 November, the City launched the Khayelitsha Tourism Product Launch at Look Out Hill to highlight and create awareness about tourism businesses in the area.
Tourism business owners from all across Cape Town mingled under one roof with local entrepreneurs in the industry and got an opportunity to showcase their wares. They also learned new things from some of the successful businesses in the industry, while sharing ideas.
The team also took a tour around Khayelitsha where they visited Siki’s Coffee Shop, the Spinach King, Khaltsha Cycle, Spine Road Lifestyle bar and restaurant, and the Spade Boutique Hotel.
James Vos, the Mayco member for economic growth, said Cape Town is a lot more than just mountains and beaches.
“We are a kaleidoscope of cultures, cuisine and communities. The purpose of this Khayelitsha gathering is to bring together people from different corners of the city’s tourism industry and to help them find synergies in terms of their product development,’ he said.
Vos believes with such an exciting variety of experiences in one area, this is the golden mile of Cape Town when it comes to tourism.
Loyiso Mfuku, Managing Director of Khayelitsha Travels and Tourism said the tour was to showcase their readiness for the upcoming festive season.
He said the tour helped to demonstrate that some businesses were still operating even though some had to close down as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The tour showed the standard products and professional services Khayelitsha offers to the visitors. People need to come to the area and experience it for themselves,” said Mfuku.
On the issue of crime, Mfuku said they pinned their hopes on police, community forums and tourism monitors that act as a crime deterrent in the area.
Vos said he was pleased that Cape Town was now landing more flights per day than ever before Covid-19.
“By honing our product offering, we can encourage the travellers coming in on those planes from all over the world to stay and spend at our small businesses, which means more rands will end up circulating in communities.
“Through tourism, we can continue to honour the communities and cultures of Cape Town while realising meaningful economic growth for the same people,” he said