Throughout history the most attractive destinations have remained cut off from the world until men and women of vision have made the journey to explore their potential. With the arrival today of KLM's first direct flight to Cape Town, Royal Dutch Airlines is helping us to further unlock the tourism and business potential of one of the best global destinations - the Western Cape.
The recent announcement by KLM that they will begin flying 5 direct flights a week to the Cape - rising to 7 flights by the end of the year - is a very important part of our strategy to promote tourism as a growth sector, and to use this growth to generate employment in the province. It is also a clear message from KLM and the people of the Netherlands about their confidence in the Cape as a destination of choice. Flight KL597 also represents the first concrete results of the Airline Destination Workshop co-hosted in Cape Town at the end of September by the Airports Company South Africa and the Western Cape Government.
The importance of year-round direct flights to Cape Town cannot be overstated. By eliminating a Johannesburg stop-over the new KLM service will reduce the travelling time to the Cape by about 2.5 hours - making the journey that much more attractive and worthwhile for their passengers. By flying throughout the year, KLM is acknowledging that our efforts to create off-peak events, conferences and attractions are beginning to bear real fruit.
With 9 international airlines flying directly to Cape Town by December, with increased frequencies of flights and the new charter services starting operation, we are well on target to break the key barrier of 1 million international visitors to the province this year. There is much still to be done though - especially when it is remembered that in peak season up to 52 airlines fly directly to Johannesburg.
The Western Cape Provincial Government is absolutely committed to iKapa eliHlumayo - Growing and Developing the Cape. Through partnerships with companies like KLM and ACSA, we will continue to make progress in building our World Class Province which cares for all its people.
Issued by: Western Cape Ministry of Tourism and GamblingMedia liaison: Hélène RossouwCell: 082 771 8834 herossou@pgwc.gov.za
