WESGRO says it was honoured to be part of the delegation who welcomed the first group of tourists from China who arrived in Cape Town under the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS).
This initiative by the national government streamlines visa application processes for group travellers from China and India, making travel to South Africa more accessible. This is a crucial intervention which will contribute meaningfully to the Western Cape’s ambition of doubling tourism, said Wesgro.
“We warmly welcome these visitors to Cape Town and the Western Cape and look forward to strengthening economic ties with China through tourism, trade and investment,” said Wesgro.
Aside from fostering tourism links from China, Wesgro, which is the official tourism, trade, and investment promotion agency for the Western Cape also looked to develop relationships with North America tourism.
As part of their distribution channel initiatives to build brand affinity, and facilitate market access, South African Tourism (SAT) North America hosted a 3-day Virtual Roadshow, which took place 19 – 21 February 2025.
Wesgro participated as an exhibitor to showcase Cape Town and the Western Cape, joining other provincial tourism authorities as well as South African tourism products.
The Virtual Roadshow allowed exhibitors to engage directly with American and Canadian travel advisors – targeted by their specialty – and created a more focused dialogue and engaging experience for both travel advisors and exhibitors.
Exhibitors and travel advisors engaged through scheduled one-on-one meetings, as well as walk-in inquiries.
2024 has seen the US become the first top arrivals market, with recovery reaching 99% of the 2019 levels. US is expected to exceed 2019 levels in 2025.
Wesgro has also opened applications for its Leisure Tourism Event Partnerships. The online application process ran from 17 February to 7 March 2025, and invited event organisers to apply for collaboration opportunities that aimed to promote the diverse tourism offerings in the province.
The goal of the partnership is to provide a platform for smaller, niche leisure events, creating economic impact and job opportunities while boosting tourism in less-visited towns and communities. The focus is on events that combat seasonality and contribute to a sustainable event pipeline in the region.
