The City of Cape Town with Table Mountain on the horizon. Picture: Unsplash
Cape Town Air Access (CTAA), powered by Wesgro, witnessed 20 months of continuous year-on-year growth and recorded the highest-ever international passenger total in 2023, with over 2.8 million two-way passengers making their way through Cape Town International Airport (CTIA).
The air-route development project held its 7th Annual Review attended by airlines, government partners, and business stakeholders where the CTAA reflected on the milestones achieved by this pioneering partnership that brings together the public and private sectors.
Wrenelle Stander, CEO of Wesgro and official spokesperson of CTAA, said they were committed to doing even more as air connectivity was a catalyst for economic growth, and a driver of our region’s competitiveness, and thanked partners for their continued contribution to this successful collaboration.
“With CTAA, action speaks louder than words. The number of routes established into Cape Town in the past three years have now surpassed the number achieved in the first five years of the project.
“Since 2021, 16 airlines have initiated or announced 18 new routes to our destination,” said Stander.
CTAA said that the upcoming summer season wouild see one new destination added to CTIA’s network, with passengers now able to fly directly to Kasane on Air Botswana.
The Mother City will also welcome its newest airline, Norse Atlantic Airways, which will operate a seasonal service from London’s Gatwick airport, whilst three additional African route services will also be launched into Cape Town, covering existing destinations.
Provincial Minister of Agriculture, Economic, Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, said the expansion of existing routes was cause for celebration because it meant the business case for flying to Cape Town remained strong.
“This upcoming season will see 11 route expansions, contributing to 226 weekly international flights being operated to CTIA at the peak of the summer season.
“This is the highest total ever! CTAA demonstrates the success that is possible when government and the private sector work together to achieve shared objectives. This is precisely what our Growth for Jobs Strategy has set out to achieve,” he said.
The Annual Review also showcased the achievements of CTAA in 2023, which included winning the prestigious Routes World Destination Marketing Award for the second consecutive year.
In terms of two-way passengers to CTIA, the top 10 destinations were the United Kingdom, the USA, Germany, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius and India.
India recorded a notable 115% recovery rate between 2019 and 2023, showcasing the enormous potential of this under-served market.
“That is why our focus is firmly on growing air connectivity to new destinations and expanding existing routes, especially in Asia and Africa. Because we know that when we grow passenger numbers, we grow the economy and we create jobs," said Stander.