New This is Cape Town campaign launched across 55 destinations

The City of Cape Town has released its latest campaign, This is Cape Town, in what it sees as its "boldest" yet, to grow tourism and spur tourism-related job creation in the Mother City.  

Featuring dynamic visual storytelling and branding that even includes London’s iconic black cabs, the push is being rolled out across 55 cities, including key source markets such as London, São Paulo, Berlin, Shanghai, Nairobi and Dubai, according to Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Tourism. City's Tourism and Place Marketing Branch launched the campaign on Tuesday at the Radisson Red Hotel in the V&A Waterfront.   

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"Cape Town is a place of contrast and connection. Through this campaign, I want the world to experience our crafts, our cuisines, and cultures. Tourism is one of Cape Town’s most powerful job creators. By boldly positioning ourselves in new and emerging markets, we are unlocking opportunities, supporting local businesses, and building a stronger, more inclusive economy for our communities," added Vos.  

"We’re breaking new ground in new markets. Cities like London, São Paulo, Lusaka, Berlin, Shanghai, Nairobi, Dubai, New York, Mumbai, and Sydney are just a few of the 55 global locations where Cape Town’s message is being showcased." 

According to data from the WTM Global Travel Report, Cape Town is projected to experience a 40% increase in international leisure travel by 2030. In 2022, the City reached 25,4 million people across European markets.  "I believe we can go beyond even those optimistic forecasts,’ said Vos.

South Africa is already seeing an increase in visitor numbers, with Cape Town often acting as a launch pad to the rest of the country.

Close to 1 million (927,426) tourist arrivals in South Africa during October 2025 showed a 32% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Department of Tourism's latest data. From January to October 2025, approximately 8.56 million people visited the country, marking an increase of 1.3 million new arrivals compared to the same period in 2024.      

Cape Town, in particular, has seen early momentum in the summer peak season. The airport surpassed the one-million-passenger mark in October 2025, a milestone usually seen in December.

"More visitors mean more bookings for our restaurants, attractions, tours, and small businesses. Tourism has already created more than 106,000 jobs, but I am determined to see that number grow. My long-term goal is to see at least one tourism-related job in every household in our City,’ stated Vos." 

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