Gearing up for tourism’s resurgence
South Africa’s tourism sector is blossoming. According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, more than 2.4 million internationals stopped by between January and March 2024, representing a positive increase of 15.4% when compared with the same period last year. South Africa was a particularly attractive destination for Ghanaians, British citizens, and Americans whose visitor numbers all saw strong increases. The bulk of tourists (1.8 million) came from Africa, followed by Europe (420 727) and the Americas (118 194). As one of the industry’s leading lights, The Capital Hotels, Apartments, and Resorts is positioning itself to fully capitalise on this new tourism boom and help the South African hospitality industry get back to its pre pandemic best.
Preserving our place as one of Africa’s travel hotspots:
According to the Ministry of Tourism, visitors coming from Ghana and Zimbabwe have seen outstanding travel growth improving by 249% and 21%, respectively. Travellers from Asian markets increased by 25%, while tourists from the Netherlands and Germany have also increased by just under 10%. To ensure these guests have memorable stays, The Capital Hotels, Apartments, and Resorts is not just responding to the increased demand but also pioneering solutions that help holiday goers navigate some of the nation’s challenges.
This includes leading the charge in implementing solar energy and water conservation initiatives. The group’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its substantial investments in solar energy, which will soon have 80% of its properties powered by the sun. This initiative is part of a broader multimillion-rand investment into renewable energy, demonstrating The Capital’s dedication to reducing its carbon footprint and operational costs while navigating the challenges of load shedding.
Marc Wachsberger, CEO of The Capital Hotels, Apartments, and Resorts says, “Adaptability is the name of the game and what we are increasingly finding is that by being agile in our thinking and planning, we have been able to provide memorable experiences for our guests. Doing that means looking at our current landscape and thinking three steps ahead of that so that our visitors never have to worry about whether a property will have power.”
The grass is greener where you water it:
Water scarcity is a growing problem in South Africa that could threaten the growing tourism numbers. Fortunately, there are already initiatives underway to insulate guests from its effects. The Capital Hotels, Apartments and Resorts have invested heavily in state-of-the-art water purification systems for both The Capital Pearls and The Capital Zimbali Resort, ensuring that they adhere to the strictest Blue Drop standards.
“We love a good bit of innovation and our property, The Capital Pearls, proves that. It uses an “internal aqueduct,” that acts as a private waterway, ensuring that water circulating within the premises is of the highest quality. This system not only surpasses Blue Drop quality benchmarks but also demonstrates an out-of-the-box approach to sustainable water distribution,” adds Wachsberger.
In a similarly innovative fashion, the property at Zimbali uses a reverse osmosis redundancy system to ensure that The Capital Zimbali Resort guarantees a consistent and purified water supply.
By investing in renewable energy and embracing technology, major players in the hospitality industry can do their part to keep tourism’s purple patch going. In doing so, they will help boost the economy and provide jobs for countless South Africans. By doing its bit, The Capital Hotels, Apartments and Resorts is not just preparing for a brighter future for the tourism industry, they are actively shaping it and the benefits of that will be felt for years to come.
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