Cape Town International hits all-time high in passenger traffic

15 Jan 2024

Cape Town Air Access, a division of Wesgro, has announced a record-breaking achievement in two-way passenger traffic at Cape Town International Airport's international terminal for December 2023. During this period, more than 317,000 two-way international passengers travelled through the terminal, the highest monthly total ever recorded in the airport's history. This achievement surpasses the previous record set in January 2020, with 290,000 passengers processed during that month.

Source: Cape Town International Airport

It is estimated that foreign passengers arriving at the international terminal over December 2023 injected almost R1.9bn in direct tourism spend into the Western Cape economy, aiding economic growth and sustaining jobs across the province.

This milestone buoyed the overall two-way international passenger numbers for 2023 which surpassed 2.8 million passengers, eclipsing the previous benchmark of 2.6 million passengers recorded in 2019.

Additionally, the total two-way international passenger figures for 2023 have nearly doubled over the past decade from 1.5 million two-way international passengers recorded in 2013. This significant increase in passengers showcases the growth in demand for Cape Town and the Western Cape as a premier travel destination.

Mark Maclean, regional general manager, Cape Town International Airport Cluster, Mark Maclean, comments: "I wish all our customers, partners and stakeholders well for 2024. We are very pleased with the passenger growth because of the positive impact on tourism and trade, the economy and job creation.

"I thank all passengers and visitors for their cooperation and support when visiting the airport. We will now focus on the coming weeks as passengers return home, and the remainder of the peak season. We are forecasting continued high passenger volumes as our visitors enjoy the summer."

Elevating global connectivity

Wrenelle Stander, Wesgro CEO and official spokesperson of Cape Town Air Access, says: "We are thrilled to witness such a remarkable increase in passenger numbers at Cape Town International Airport.

"This achievement reflects the ongoing efforts of the Cape Town Air Access partnership to enhance the Western Cape’s global connectivity, elevated by the continued excellence of Acsa’s Cape Town team in running a world-class airport."

"The continued hard work of the Cape Town Air Access team has been crucial in attracting more flights to the Western Cape. The record-breaking number of passengers and resultant foreign direct spend will ultimately increase economic opportunities and jobs for the people of the province. We welcome this news with open arms because more tourists mean more jobs," says Mireille Wenger, Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities.

"These figures highlight the robustness and diversity of our destination, showcasing the success of our marketing efforts and strategic partnerships. The authenticity in our marketing allowed us to present a rich variety of offerings to a global audience, both new and returning travellers.

"Through our collaborative partnerships with various sectors and industry bodies, Cape Town and the province have strengthened connections with key source markets worldwide.

"My unwavering commitment is to continue working towards increasing the number of flights bringing investors and visitors, aiming to secure tourism-related jobs in every Cape Town household," concludes Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, City of Cape Town.