Foreign journalists bowled over by Cape Town

Journalists from across the world have hailed Cape Town as one of the friendliest and most beautiful cities, according to a report compiled by the city's tourism agency. Cape Town Tourism interacted with 750 international journalists during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, taking them on various tours to show the various faces of the city, said the organisation's chief executive Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, who on Wednesday released the report. Freelance journalist Vincent de Vries from the Netherlands said aspects from all over the world could be found in Cape Town . "I have been everywhere from Mongolia to Vancouver, from Beijing to Rio de Janeiro, but my visit to Cape Town, during the World Cup Soccer, where I stayed for more than five weeks, ruined my ambition to see the whole world in 10 years. Why? "Because I fell in love with the Mother City ! Now I don't have to travel around the world anymore because Cape Town is the world.

"The V&A Waterfront is like Europe, the food is perfect like in Asia, the weather is fantastic like South-America, the people are as friendly as in Australia and the ambitions are as high as in the USA . I fell in love with this marvellous city and will return time and time again," said de Vries. Duncan Castles, who writes for the UK 's The Observer said he had travelled and lived in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas but had never been to a city that made such an immediate impression on him. "The setting is breathtaking, and waking up each morning to Table Mountain 's flitting mood is a joy. Then you add in the friendliness of the people, the quality of the food and wine, and Cape Town 's sense of fun, and you have a truly special place," said Castles. Edward Lawrence of CBS TV Network in the US said he had initially had a "huge fear" of visiting South Africa because he had always heard that it was dangerous for American tourists, but that his urge to see the World Cup had made him throw caution to the wind. "From the time I stepped off the plane in Cape Town , I felt welcomed by the people there - from the cab drivers to the Bed-and-Breakfast owners. I was able to take advantage of being a tourist in Cape Town and it was amazing. I saw and experienced so much and will definitely return to Cape Town ," said Lawrence.

Zheng Daojin, Xinhua News Agency, Beijing , said Cape Town was "one of the most beautiful places on earth. "My impression of the beauty, of the nature and the people of this city will stay with me forever. Thank you for the most fantastic time," said Daojin. Andres Kudacki a photographer and filmmaker from Argentina described the city as "amazing". "It is one of the most photogenic cities in the world and I was surprised and amazed during my stay here. From the Waterfront to Khayelitsha - I loved each part of Cape Town ," said Kudacki.

Cape Town is the Favourite Destination

British Airways (BA) has announced that BA passengers worldwide have identified Cape Town as their favourite destination. As of November 2010, British Airways will offer a second daily flight between Heathrow and Cape Town due to the increased popularity of the destination. This additional flight will be introduced ahead of the 2010 summer season. BA says its new Boeing 777 will be introduced for the Cape Town route.

British Airway’s Commercial Manager in South Africa, Sue Botes, says demand for flights to Cape Town was on the rise even before the FIFA World Cup™ tournament, and the airline is accommodating the increasing demand by offering an additional daily flight, compared with the current single one.

Cape Town Tourism CEO, Mariette du-Toit Helmbold says, “An additional daily British Airways flight is very good news for Cape Town’s tourism industry. Cape Town’s popularity has been rising steadily over the past few years, but with all of the positive 2010 FIFA World Cup™ coverage and word-of-mouth recommendations, the city’s popularity has sky-rocketed. The BBC broadcasts during the FIFA World Cup™, with the iconic backdrop of Cape Town and Table Mountain, ensured that the visual beauty of Cape Town was consistently showcased to UK TV audiences. We have the capacity, we have great offerings, and we have exceptional attractions. What we must make sure of now is that we live up to our visitor’s expectations and provide them with experiences that they will not forget.”

A warm THANK YOU from Cape Town

The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ was, without a doubt, one of the most amazing experiences of our lives. This tournament was more than just 64 soccer games. It demonstrated how people can come together, regardless of the language they speak, the colour of their skin, their politics or their religious beliefs.

The event also took Cape Town to the world – and brought the world to Cape Town – on a scale never seen before.

We pulled out every imaginable stop to make it the most successful event in our history, and there can now be no doubt that the Mother City has excelled. Our global credibility and reputation as a can-do nation and an African powerhouse has been secured.

From our new-look Cape Town Station and world-class airport, to the Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT) system and a myriad other public services, the legacies of this World Cup will be with us for generations to come.

We have to follow this first impression with real, visible, accessible offers that speak to a world still battling through tough times. We are in a unique and incredibly fortunate position to have seen vast positive coverage on television this year. Now it’s up to us to convert that into tangible tourism results. Our aim is to double the economic impact of tourism by 2020 and the World Cup will definitely make this target more attainable.

We are looking forward to marketing Cape Town beyond the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and we are committed to working with you, our media parters, to achieve our goal of doubling the number of visitors to Cape Town by 2020.

Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold
CEO, Cape Town Tourism

 

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Tours should never be a matter of choosing off a list - they should be created to suit the desires of the tourist.