DUBAI, Apr 16 – Emirates and Wesgro have signed an agreement to step up cooperation aimed at increasing international arrivals to Cape Town and the broader Western Cape, as the province intensifies efforts to grow its share of long-haul tourism.
The memorandum of understanding was concluded on the sidelines of Africa’s World Travel Market, where both sides outlined plans to jointly promote the destination across key source markets, including the Gulf, India, the Far East and other strategically identified regions.
At the centre of the agreement is a push to strengthen Cape Town’s visibility within Emirates’ global network and convert that reach into sustained inbound tourism growth. The Western Cape has positioned tourism as a key pillar of its employment and economic strategy, relying on increased visitor flows to support local industries.
Afzal Parambil, Emirates’ regional manager for Southern Africa, said Cape Town remains one of the airline’s strongest performing destinations, supported by consistent demand across international markets. He said the carrier is planning to expand capacity further, including the introduction of a third daily service to Cape Town using the Airbus A350.
Wrenelle Stander, chief executive of Wesgro, said collaboration with major international airlines plays a central role in the province’s tourism strategy, enabling access to large global audiences and strengthening the destination’s competitiveness in both leisure and business travel segments.
Data from Cape Town International Airport shows passenger traffic continues to scale, with 11.1 million two-way movements recorded in 2025, reflecting combined domestic and international travel demand.
Emirates has operated flights to Cape Town since 2008, complementing its Johannesburg service launched in 1995. The airline has gradually expanded capacity through fleet upgrades, including the Boeing 777 and Airbus A350, as part of its wider South African network strategy.
Alongside passenger operations, Emirates SkyCargo continues to support South African exports by transporting perishable goods such as fruit, vegetables, seafood, dairy and flowers to international markets, typically within 24 to 48 hours.
