"While the start of the year was lower in terms of footfall and revenue, it correlates with lower tourism figures reported by SA Tourism," he said. "We are encouraged by the increase in retail turnover during the World Cup period, a trend that's continued into our third quarter results, showing an encouraging year on year increase. We anticipate surpassing our annual number of 23 million visitors, by the end of December 2010."
"During the past year we bolstered our retail offering with a variety of new store openings and have seen crime reduced year on year, though we remain vigilant. This all forms part of our ongoing commitment to maintain and enhance our visitors' experience of this world class destination."
The Queen Victoria, a 5-star luxury boutique hotel, will open in March 2011 and the 3-star Holiday Inn Express, to be built on the roof of the Breakwater parking garage, is scheduled to open early 2012. "These hotels will address the needs of business and leisure travellers at both the luxury and affordable ends of the spectrum. We have also sold all our available stock of residential units (approximately 600) and hope to develop more in the near future, as the market starts to demand it."
An outdoor ice skating rink, made from real ice, and housed in a giant inflated cube structure, will open on 10 December and operate until mid-January 2011. Kidd also confirmed that the Wheel of Excellence will be relocated this month, reopening on 3 December in the heart of the property, on Market Square, where it will remain until February 2011. Other attractions include an outdoor 15m Christmas tree and the biggest Christmas cracker in Cape Town, part of the BOBS for Good Charity drive to collect school shoes for underprivileged children.
