It was a Good News week for Tourism in Cape Town last week, with the announcement that both BA and Virgin Atlantic airlines are increasing the number of flights to our city from next summer. The benefit to the Western Cape economy as a result of the Virgin Atlantic flights alone is R73 million per month! 

Virgin Atlantic announced that it will be offering a daily direct flight between London and Cape Town from October 2020. The airline last offered direct flights between the two cities five years ago, terminating its service to Cape Town as a result of strong competition from Middle East airlines. The reinstatement of the Virgin Atlantic flights to Cape Town is an excellent boost in the tourism confidence by the airline in our city. 

British Airways announced that it will increase the number of flights it is offering between London and Gatwick to five per week in the period 10 January to 24 March 2021, an additional two flights per week. In addition, the airline offers two daily flights between Heathrow and Cape Town airports, bringing the airline’s total number of flights per week to 19 in the first three months next year. The addition of the seasonal flights will more than negate the impact of losing three flights a week between Cape Town and Gatwick airports when the Thomas Cook airline service closed down in September last year. 

Despite falling outside of the tourist summer season, our country has the Tourism boost of hosting the visiting British and Irish Lions eight-game Rugby Tour in July/August 2021. The Cape Town game is on 31 July, no doubt played in the Cape Town Stadium, the new home of rugby in our province from January 2021.

Western Province Rugby moves to Cape Town Stadium, Newlands Rugby Stadium to be demolished, in 2021!

Well done to Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Wesgro, and the Cape Town Airports Company for working hard in bringing more direct flights into Cape Town. 

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide