Emirates and Wesgro Partner to Stimulate Tourism to Western Cape

On the sidelines of WTM Africa, Emirates and Wesgro have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to drive inbound tourism and boost visitors to Cape Town and the Western Cape.

The partnership underscores the airline’s longstanding commitment to the market through attracting visitors from across its global network supporting the province’s strategy of unlocking tourism growth.

Tourism is a key pillar in Cape Town and the Western Cape’s economy, creating tens of thousands of employment opportunities and serving millions of tourists who visit the country each year. The partnership between Emirates and Wesgro supports the province’s Growth for Jobs Strategy, which aims to unlock inclusive and sustainable tourism growth.

In 2025 Cape Town International Airport recorded a record-breaking 11.1 million two-way passenger traffic, accounting for both domestic and international travellers. In recent years, Emirates has seen consistently high demand for travel into Cape Town, with high volumes of passengers from the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.

Emirates first launched services to Cape Town in March 2008, the airline’s second city in South Africa, after Johannesburg which began operations in 1995. Over the years, Emirates has steadily scaled operations to foster strong and reliable connectivity between Cape Town and the wider world, via Dubai.

In 2025, Emirates deployed its retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft to the city and, this summer, is planning to add third daily frequency, served by its newest aircraft type, the Airbus A350. The deployment enhances travel options between South Africa and Dubai, with Emirates’ full suite of products and services available for customers to enjoy – from the iconic A380 and the fully-retrofitted Boeing 777 to the next-gen A350. South Africa remains the only African nation to be served by all three aircraft in Emirates’ fleet.

Beyond passenger connectivity, Emirates SkyCargo facilitates trade to and from South Africa, further stimulating the economy and connecting South African businesses with their global customers, quickly, reliably and efficiently.

From Cape Town, Emirates SkyCargo moves significant volume of fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables, chilled meats, dairy, seafood and fresh cut flowers, transporting perishables from farm to shop with turnaround times of just 24 – 48 hours.