JOHANNESBURG, December 21 (ANA) – The announcement by Singapore Airlines (SIA) on Thursday that it will fly to Cape Town, via Johannesburg, on a daily basis from March next year demonstrates the growing demand for Cape Town as both a business and leisure tourism destination, officials said.
SIA will operate flights to Cape Town using its Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which has the capacity to hold 253 customers. The daily flights are an increase from its current four flights per week.
“This increased frequency will boost air access to Asia, the fastest growing region in the world. Singapore’s Changi Airport is a major global hub, making it easy to fly to Cape Town from anywhere in the East.” said Tim Harris, CEO of Wesgro, Cape Town’s official tourism, trade & investment promotion agency.
“Making it easier to access Cape Town by air, increases the number of visitors to our shores. This will not only boost leisure tourism, a major economic contributor to the Cape economy, but will also help facilitate investment.”
Alan Winde, economic opportunities minister in the provincial government, said the move was the latest in a series of new and expanded direct routes which had increased international air arrivals by 27 percent year-one-year.
Cape Town International Airport saw international passenger numbers rise 23 percent in the first 9 months of 2017. The Asian market is also growing at a double digit figures, with high growth in South East Asia, in particular from Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.
African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa
