Cape Town and the Western Cape has recorded its most successful cruise season to date, setting new benchmarks for cruise-liner visits, passenger numbers, and economic contribution in 2024/25.
Preliminary data from the Western Cape Cruise Liner Industry Report, commissioned by Cruise Cape Town, powered by Wesgro, has shown that the cruise season contributed R1.79 billion to the Western Cape’s GDP-R, up from R1.32 billion in 2023/24. This is a result of 79 cruise ships arrivals (83 vessel arrivals) between September 2024 and June 2025, representing an 18% increase on the 67 ships recorded the previous season. Passenger numbers also rose to 127,000, up 16% on 2023/24. Long-haul “world cruises,” which link multiple continents, accounted for 42 port calls, further strengthening Cape Town’s reputation as a premier stop on global itineraries.
Cruise tourism has proven to be a powerful catalyst for visitor spending. Each vessel brings thousands of international travellers whose spending spreads across accommodation, restaurants, cultural attractions, retail, and wine farms. According to the report, the 2024/25 season total expenditure generated by vessels and passengers reached R1.99 billion, representing 32% increase compared to the previous season’s R1.5 billion.
Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander celebrated the findings: “The 2024/25 season has been a successful year for Cape Town and the Western Cape’s cruise industry. With record passenger numbers and expenditure, the industry is showing its ability to create jobs and stimulate growth across the province.”
Employment growth was a major highlight. The 2024/25 season created 1,234 direct full-time equivalent jobs in the Western Cape, rising to 2,345 once multiplier effects were included. The largest share was in retail and markets (44%), followed by hotels and restaurants (27%), tour operators and other services (9%), and fuel bunkering (8%). At national level, nearly 3,000 jobs were supported, with international passenger spending responsible for almost two-thirds.
Importantly, the benefits extended beyond Cape Town. Smaller municipalities such as Mossel Bay, Hermanus, and Saldanha Bay welcomed 32,000 passengers across 26 ship visits, generating R47.5 million in local spending. This supported small businesses, created temporary employment, and boosted visibility for these towns as tourism destinations. Stander added: “What is particularly encouraging is how the benefits of cruise tourism are being felt across the province. From Mossel Bay to Saldanha, local businesses are gaining exposure and income from international visitors, which strengthens the overall tourism ecosystem.”
Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, welcomed the report’s findings, noting the broad-based benefits: “The cruise industry is a catalyst for growth across the Western Cape. These results highlight its vital role in supporting our world-class restaurants, hotels, wine estates, and cultural attractions. From small family-owned businesses to major enterprises, every visitor who steps ashore contributes to livelihoods across the province. The sector’s growth is a strong signal of global confidence in our destination.”
City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, said: “The City is proud to be part of the Cruise Cape Town initiative that continues to attract vessels and unlock extraordinary benefits for our economy. Each ship that docks injects millions into local businesses, sustains jobs, and enhances Cape Town’s global profile as a tourism hub. With another record-breaking season behind us, our focus remains firmly on building on this success.”
The arrival of MS The World this week is one of more than 70 vessels scheduled to call at Cape Town in the coming year.
V&A Waterfront CEO David Green underlined the significance of this milestone: “The arrival of The World is a proud milestone for Cape Town. With our Cruise Terminal ranked among the most attractive globally, each vessel docking here supports our hospitality, retail, and cultural sectors while showcasing the city as a leading international port.”
Captain Alex Miya, Transnet National Ports Authority Acting Port Manager for the Port of Cape Town concluded: “These results confirm that the cruise industry is one of the fastest-growing contributors to South Africa’s GDP through tourism. Cape Town’s strategic location on global shipping routes makes it a natural gateway for cruise tourism. TNPA is committed to providing world-class marine services to support this growth and to working with Cruise Cape Town and partners to position the port and province as Africa’s premier cruise destination.”
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