The Western Cape has recorded its most successful cruise season to date, setting new benchmarks for cruise-liner visits, passenger numbers and economic contribution in 2024/25, says tourism, trade and investment promotion agency Wesgro.

Preliminary data from the Western Cape Cruise Liner Industry Report has shown that the cruise season contributed R1.79-billion to the province’s gross domestic product (GDP), up from R1.32-billion in the 2023/24 season.

This is owing to 79 cruise ships arrivals, and a total of 83 vessel arrivals, between September 2024 and June this year, which represents an 18% increase on the 67 ships recorded during the previous season, the agency says.

Additionally, passenger numbers also rose to 127 000, up 16% on the 2023/24 cruise season.

Long-haul “world cruises”, which link multiple continents, accounted for 42 port calls, further strengthening Cape Town’s reputation as a premier stop on global itineraries, Wesgro notes.

Cruise tourism has proven to be a catalyst for visitor spending. Each vessel brings thousands of international travellers whose spending spreads across accommodation, restaurants, cultural attractions, retail and wine farms, the organisation says.

According to the report, the total expenditure generated by vessels and passengers for the 2024/25 season reached R1.99-billion, which represents a 32% increase on the previous season’s R1.5-billion.

“The 2024/25 season has been a successful year for Cape Town and the Western Cape’s cruise industry. With record passenger numbers and expenditure, the industry is showing its ability to create jobs and stimulate growth across the province,” says Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander.

The benefits also extended beyond Cape Town, with smaller municipalities such as Mossel Bay, Hermanus and Saldanha Bay welcoming 32 000 passengers across 26 ship visits, and which generated R47.5-million in local spending.

This supported small businesses, created temporary employment and boosted visibility for these towns as tourism destinations, she says.

“It is particularly encouraging that the benefits of cruise tourism are being felt across the province. From Mossel Bay to Saldanha, local businesses are gaining exposure and income from international visitors, which strengthens the overall tourism ecosystem.”

Further, employment growth was a major highlight of the season, and the 2024/25 season created 1 234 direct full-time-equivalent jobs in the Western Cape.

The largest share was in retail and markets at 44%, followed by hotels and restaurants at 27%, tour operators and other services at 9% and fuel bunkering at 8%.

At national level, nearly 3 000 jobs were supported, with international passenger spending being responsible for almost two-thirds of this total, Stander says.

“The cruise industry is a catalyst for growth across the Western Cape. These results highlight its vital role in supporting our world-class restaurants, hotels, wine estates, and cultural attractions, says Western Cape Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism executive Dr Ivan Meyer.

“From small family-owned businesses to major enterprises, every visitor who steps ashore contributes to livelihoods across the province. The sector’s growth is a strong signal of global confidence in our destination,” he adds.

“The Cruise Cape Town initiative continues to attract vessels and unlock extraordinary benefits for our economy. Each ship that docks injects millions into local businesses, sustains jobs and enhances Cape Town’s global profile as a tourism hub, says City of Cape Town Economic Growth MMC Alderman James Vos.

“With another record-breaking season behind us, our focus remains firmly on building on this success,” he says.

“These results confirm that the cruise industry is one of the fastest-growing contributors to South Africa’s GDP. Cape Town’s strategic location on global shipping routes makes it a natural gateway for cruise tourism, says State-owned port operator Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) Port of Cape Town acting port manager Captain Alex Miya.

“TNPA is committed to providing world-class marine services to support this growth and to working with Cruise Cape Town and partners to position the port and province as Africa’s premier cruise destination.”

Meanwhile, 70 vessels are scheduled to call at Cape Town during in the coming season, with the ship MS The World having arrived during the past week.

“The arrival of The World is a proud milestone for Cape Town. With our Cruise Terminal ranked among the most attractive globally, each vessel docking here supports our hospitality, retail and cultural sectors, while showcasing the city as a leading international port,” says waterfront property company V&A Waterfront CEO David Green.