Emirates and Wesgro sign MoU to boost inbound tourism to the Western Cape | News
On the sidelines of the African World Travel Market (WTM), Emirates and Wesgro have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost inbound tourism and encourage visitors to Cape Town and the Western Cape. The partnership underlines the airline’s long-standing commitment to the market by attracting visitors from across its global network, supporting the province’s strategy to unlock tourism growth.
The MoU was signed by Afzal Parambil, Emirates’ Regional Manager for Southern Africa and Wrenelle Stander, Wesgro’s Chief Executive Officer, at the Emirates stand at WTM. Under the agreement, Emirates and Wesgro will work together to drive travel from key growth markets, including the GCC, the Far East, India and other mutually identified source markets, to promote the destination and encourage travelers to experience the abundance of natural, cultural and historical attractions.
Afzal Parambil said: “Cape Town is one of our most visited and in-demand destinations on our African network. Through this agreement with Wesgro, a long-standing and essential regional partner, we will work together to unlock new growth opportunities and further drive inbound tourism from key destinations on our global network, showcasing the beauty and breadth of experience that Cape Town and the Western Cape have to offer. This partnership also supports and complements our plan to introduce a third daily frequency to Cape Town serviced by our newest aircraft type, the Airbus A350. This agreement is another signal of our steadfast commitment to South Africa. We look forward to playing a meaningful role in Cape Town’s tourism success story in the years to come.”
Wrenelle Stander said: “As the tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for the region, Wesgro continues to focus on driving demand, strengthening trade relationships and unlocking new opportunities in priority markets. Partnerships with organizations such as Emirates provide system-scale opportunities to engage global stakeholders and accelerate this momentum. Through continued collaboration with airlines, tourism trade and industry partners, Wesgro is positioning Cape Town and the Western Cape as a leading destination for both business and leisure travelers – offering world-class, premium experiences, with love from locals.”
Tourism is a key pillar of Cape Town and the Western Cape economy, creating tens of thousands of employment opportunities and serving millions of tourists who visit the country every 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 11.1 million two-way passenger traffic, serving both domestic and international travellers. In recent years, Emirates has seen consistently high demand for Cape Town, with large numbers of passengers arriving from the Middle East, Europe and America.
Emirates first launched flights to Cape Town in March 2008, the airline’s second city in South Africa after Johannesburg, which launched in 1995. Over the years, Emirates has steadily scaled up its operations to promote strong and reliable connections between Cape Town and the rest of the world, via Dubai.
In 2025, Emirates deployed its updated Boeing 777 aircraft to the city and this summer it plans to add a third daily frequency, served by its newest aircraft type, the Airbus A350. The deployment enhances travel options between South Africa and Dubai, with the full suite of Emirates products and services available for customers to enjoy – from the iconic A380 and the fully retrofitted Boeing 777 to the next generation A350. South Africa remains the only African country served by all three aircraft in Emirates’ fleet.
In addition to passenger connectivity, Emirates SkyCargo facilitates trade to and from South Africa, further boosting the economy and connecting South African businesses to their global customers quickly, reliably and efficiently. From Cape Town, Emirates SkyCargo transports a significant volume of fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables, chilled meat, dairy, seafood and fresh cut flowers, and transports perishables from farm to store with turnaround times of just 24 to 48 hours.
