Following the excessive climate over the Heritage weekend – with heavy rain nonetheless ongoing in components of the province – the Western Cape Division of Financial Improvement and Tourism is engaged on analysing the total affect of the storms, particularly on tourism and hospitality companies throughout the province.
“It’s critical for us because the Western Cape Authorities to get as a lot data as we will on the affect of the storm, so we’re in a position to prioritise wants. Which is why I wish to encourage as many tourism and hospitality companies to take part within the on-line survey, which we have now stored open to make sure as many stakeholders as doable are in a position to give their inputs,” mentioned Provincial Minister of Finance and Financial Alternatives, Mireille Wenger.
Vacationer sights can click on right here to take part within the survey.
Preliminary findings of the survey embody:
- The vast majority of the responses acquired are from non-public companies (accounting for 91% of responses), whereas it’s clear that state-owned sights corresponding to parks, botanical gardens, resorts and tenting websites have additionally been affected.
- The 5 most affected cities (based mostly on responses up to now) are Franschhoek (11,81% of respondents), Kleinmond (9,45%), Hermanus (8,66%), Betty’s Bay (7,87%) and McGregor (7,09%). The injury sustained was due to this fact concentrated within the Overberg and Cape Winelands area though injury has additionally been reported as far afield as George.
- The affected properties are predominantly lodging institutions (38% of respondents), eating places/bars/cafés (19%), wine tourism sights (8%), path networks (6%) and retail shops (6%).
- 44% of respondents indicated that that they had insurance coverage cowl, nonetheless some identified that not all injury/losses sustained had been lined. As well as, 26% of respondents had been not sure whether or not they can be lined by insurance coverage. 29% of respondents usually are not lined.
- 63% of respondents needed to shut their companies briefly.
Wenger continued: “The tourism and hospitality sector actually has been by way of the wringer over the previous couple of years, however I’m heartened by its resilience and distinctive capability to bounce again. The sheer tenacity of this sector is outstanding – each particular person and enterprise make a much-needed contribution to our economic system and job creation. We have to do all we will to handle the storm injury with objective, in order that we will robustly climate any future excessive occasions.”
She mentioned, wanting forward, the province was anticipating a bumper summer time season, with 215 worldwide flights per week into Cape City Worldwide Airport from January 2024, up from 191 within the earlier season.
“To make it possible for we’re able to welcome guests throughout the province, I shall be internet hosting an business readiness occasion later this month, bringing collectively key stakeholders from the tourism and hospitality sector, to debate key preparations for the upcoming summer time, together with the affect of and mop up after the storm,” mentioned Wenger.