Putting the Multichoice decline in context
Lindsey Schutters
FlySafair launches new Cape Town to Windhoek route
FlySafair has announced a new route between Cape Town and Windhoek, Namibia, marking its first regional service from the city. Flights are set to begin on October 22nd. ''We have been wanting to break into the Windhoek market for a while, but the barrier, until now, has been aircraft availability. Having an additional aircraft that we are basing in Cape Town is now enabling us to expand into the market with a competitive fare,'' explains Kirby Gordon, the chief marketing officer at FlySafair.
Source: Bob Adams via Wikimedia Commons
He elaborates that the route is only about 83% recovered to pre-Covid numbers, which offers potential scope to make inroads and increase travel to the destination.
Typically, a ticket from Cape Town to Windhoek starts at R5,000 and can cost as much as R9,000, if not more. In line with its ethos of offering passengers safe and affordable travel, Gordon stresses that FlySafair is offering highly competitive pricing, with tickets starting at R1, 800 and already on sale. This will put Windhoek within reach for many travellers who previously didn’t have a budget-friendly option available.
The new route is also opportune, coming ahead of the summer holidays.
''It will offer South Africans another option for their travel to visit family and friends. There is some good business travel on the route as well,'' explains Gordon.
Expanding African travel opportunities
The Cape Town to Windhoek route is also a response to those travellers who are keen to venture further afield into Africa and explore what their neighbouring countries have to offer.
''The new route will additionally cater to overseas travellers who are using Cape Town as a jumping-off point to other African destinations,'' he adds.
It makes a great deal of sense to make it easier and more affordable for local and international travellers alike to visit Namibia. As noted by the International Trade Administration, the country is a highly attractive tourist destination, offering natural attractions such as the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world; the Fish River Canyon, the Skeleton Coast with its extraordinary landscapes; and Etosha National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa.
Add to this the much-photographed Sossusvlei sand dunes and good road infrastructure, and it is not difficult to see why tourists gravitate towards it.
To cater to the demand for it, FlySafair's new route will run twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
So far this year, FlySafair has opened several new routes for travellers, including direct flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park, which offers local and international tourists greater access to one of South Africa’s most famous natural treasures.
''The Cape Town to Windhoek route expands that drive by giving travellers a more affordable way to venture further afield and avail themselves of the rich beauty that is abundant in one of our neighbouring countries,'' concludes Gordon.
