A number of multi-million Rand projects are underway to change the face of Cape Town in the next few years, reports The Times. They will also have a positive effect on tourism.
One of the biggest tourism income generators is the expansion of the Cape Town International Convention Centre, which is set to double in size, currently earning the City R400 million per annum. Expanding the Convention Centre will allow Cape Town to bid for the Heart Congress, for example, the world’s largest conference, as well as to host the annual Tourism Indaba, which would meet the Convention Centre’s goal of becoming the best long-haul international convention centre by 2010 . The construction of the expansion is expected to be complete by 2015.
Tourism will also receive a boost from the planned construction by Transnet of a new passenger terminal in the Cape Town harbour for cruise ship tourists, which should become operational by 2015. Robin Carlisle, Western Cape Minister of Public Works, would like to see the demolition of freeways near the port, so that the sea and the city are reconnected, having been separated by land reclamation and the highways in the area. Students from the University of Cape Town are already working on proposals for the future of the unfinished freeway.
Further developements will be the completion of Portside Tower, Cape Town’s tallest building, in April next year; the opening of the new Christiaan Barnard Hospital and a hotel next to the Convention Centre in 2016; the construction of 5500 homes in the 
former District Six; and the phased development of 200000 m² at Culemborg Quarter, of which 10% has already been approved.
The planned city centre developments will connect the V&A Waterfront with the City centre, not only through motorised traffic, but also by means of pedestrian and bicycle access, and can only benefit tourism.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @Whale Cottage
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