Minister Maynier recognizes "Cape Town Air Access" | Western Cape Government

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Minister Maynier recognizes "Cape Town Air Access"

2 July 2019

We are proud of “Cape Town Air Access”, which is an award-winning partnership between three spheres of government, six entities, and the private sector, and which has done such great work launching new routes, and expanding existing routes, and growing seat capacity numbers at Cape Town International Airport.

During the past four years, “Cape Town Air Access” has assisted in launching 15 new direct routes and 20 route expansions; introduced new airlines including Rwanda Air, Austrian Airlines and Cathay Pacific; and contributed about US$400 million in direct tourism spending over the past three years in the Western Cape.

We are especially proud that “Cape Town Air Access” is about to introduce another new airline – United Airlines – which will fly non-stop between New York and Cape Town, starting on 15 December 2019, and which we estimate will generate about R153 million in tourism spending in the Western Cape.

We certainly look forward to welcoming all the passengers who arrive on the inaugural United Airlines flight to the best airport in Africa – Cape Town International Airport – on or about 15 December 2019.

What “Cape Town Air Access” has shown is that expanding air connectivity, can expand opportunity for people, and expanding opportunity for people, can give hope to people, especially young people, who do not have jobs, or who have given up looking for jobs, in the Western Cape.

I would like to conclude by thanking all our partners in this project – the City of Cape Town, the Airports Company of South Africa, South African Tourism, Cape Town Tourism, and Wesgro – who have shown what we can achieve when we put out heads together in the Western Cape.

Media Enquiries: 
Francine Higham
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities
(Responsible for the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism)
Tel: 021 483 4327
Cell: 071 087 5150