The Cape Town CBD is ideally positioned to welcome cruise-liner visitors.
With the Mother City in the throes of a bumper visitor season, cruise tourism has become a fast-growing contributor to the city’s GDP, playing a key role in boosting the hospitality and retail sectors in the CBD.
“With its top-class hotels and myriad short-term residential accommodation options, walkable streets, superb shops, cafés and restaurants, and cultural landmarks, the city centre is a natural extension of the overall cruise experience,” observes Grant Elliott, deputy chairperson of the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) and COO of Thibault Investments.
According to the Cruise Cape Town report powered by Wesgro, the 2024/25 cruise season – which ended on 29 June 2025 – was the longest and most successful to date. It set new benchmarks for cruise-liner visits, passenger numbers and economic contributions, underscoring the scalable opportunity this sector represents.
Furthermore, the latest edition of the CCID’s economic report, State of Cape Town Central City Report 2024 – A Year in Review (SCCR), revealed that the cruise season – which traditionally spans the months between October and April – extended to May and June too.
SHIP CALLS INCREASE
Between September 2024 and June 2025, the Cape Town Cruise Terminal welcomed 83 ship calls, an 18 % increase from 67 ships in the previous season. Passenger numbers rose to 127 000, up 16 % from 110 000 the previous year.
Long-haul world cruises linking multiple continents accounted for 42 arrivals, reinforcing Cape Town’s reputation as a premier stop on global itineraries. Eleven ships made their maiden voyage to Cape Town. March saw a record 22 ship calls, despite being outside the traditionally popular tourist months, signalling the emergence of a year-round cruise-tourism season.
Passenger and vessel spending reached R1.99 billion in the 2024/25 season, a 32 % increase from the previous season’s R1.5 billion. The sector also created 1 234 direct full-time equivalent jobs, mostly in retail and markets (44 %), followed by hotels and restaurants (27 %), and tour operators and other services (9 %).
GLOBAL EXPOSURE
Beyond benefitting tourism and hospitality, Elliott says that visiting ships bring global exposure for Cape Town and the CBD. They also present opportunities to attract foreign direct investment and long-term partnerships with international hospitality brands, property developers and businesses that recognise Cape Town as a compelling gateway to future investment and opportunities in Africa.
“The CCID has worked hard to shape a city centre that offers a world-class experience – clean, safe, characterful and welcoming to all.
“With the 2025/26 Cape Town cruise season well underway, Cape Town continues to be a global ‘must-visit’ destination,” says Elliott.
“Economically, the CBD is one of the key beneficiaries of cruise-driven growth. Passengers visiting the city centre bring more than spending power. They help us reimagine what the inner city can be. Beyond a place to work, we want cruise passengers to view the CBD as a place to visit, invest in and perhaps live in. This is the kind of globally appealing CBD that the CCID has striven to build since the organisation’s inception 25 years ago. The tourist season is here, and we’re ready to showcase the very best of what the Mother City has to offer,” concludes Elliott.
IMAGES: Queen Mary 2, Crown Princess
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