More than eleven million visitors: Cape Town anticipates record passenger volumes for 2025 season

With a busy tourist season still underway and official final figures are awaited, Cape Town airport arrivals continue to provide one of the strongest signals of growth in the city’s visitor economy. 

According to mayco member for Economic Growth, James Vos, all indicators point to passenger volumes exceeding 11 million in 2025.

“With 2024 closing at record levels and all indicators pointing to passenger volumes exceeding 11 million in 2025, air access remains a critical lever for tourism growth, job creation and economic opportunity. Tourism remains one of the most practical and powerful drivers of economic growth in Cape Town, and airport arrivals are among the clearest indicators of how our visitor economy is performing. 

“Tourism contributed R27.5 billion to our city’s economy in 2024 and supported 106 000 jobs. We are determined to grow these numbers even further,” said Vos.

Vos added that in 2024, Cape Town International Airport - consistently recognised as the best airport in Africa - processed approximately 10.4 million passengers, including a record three million international two-way travellers. 

“These numbers reflect the strength of Cape Town’s visitor economy, the success of our air access strategy, and the city’s growing appeal across key global markets. Looking ahead to 2025, while the Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) will release the official passenger figures in the coming weeks, I am personally holding thumbs that we will surpass the 11 million mark. 

“Based on my conversations with aviation stakeholders and role players, the momentum in air access and connectivity is very encouraging, and I am optimistic that Cape Town will build on the strong gains made in 2024. We now await ACSA’s final figures, which will provide definitive confirmation, and I look forward to celebrating the official announcement when it comes,” said Vos.

Vos highlighted another milestone for Cape Town’s tourism economy, with 228 international flights now landing at the airport every week, representing peak levels of international connectivity. 

These services link Cape Town to 31 destinations and are operated by 24 airlines, making the city more accessible than ever and directly supporting growth in arrivals, jobs and economic opportunity.

“One of the most favourite aspects of my job is working alongside the Wesgro Air Access team in engagements with airlines, where we negotiate for new routes, increased frequencies and additional direct services into Cape Town. This focused work, combined with strong partnerships across the aviation and tourism sectors, continues to play a central role in strengthening access and supporting long-term growth.

“The continued growth in passenger volumes demonstrates that focused collaboration between government and industry is delivering results. We will continue to use air access as a strategic lever to unlock jobs, investment and inclusive economic growth for Cape Town,” said Vos.

chevon.booysen@inl.co.za