Establishing the Mother City as a top cruise destination in Africa was one of the cornerstones of the City of Cape Town’s tourism recovery plan, post-COVID-19. Cape Town has been growing in popularity as a stop for international cruise ships, which has offered enormous potential for tourism growth. It has also created major congestion on our roads.
Traffic aside, events like these are a sign of economic prosperity, which improves the quality of life for all of our residents, per the City's press release, noting how Cape Town has grown massively as a cruise tourism destination. "Between 2016 and 2019, each season averaged between 35 and 40 ships arriving at the port in the city. In this 2023/2024 season, the number of ship visits is currently at 67.