Cape Town Awarded Number One City in the Middle East and Africa

According to the 2021 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards, Cape Town remains such a wildly popular destination with international travellers that it was voted the number one city in the Middle East and Africa. Travel + Leisure is one of the biggest travel magazines in the world with a reach of more than 35 million people worldwide.

“This is the most phenomenal recognition of our city! It’s amazing to see how many international people love Cape Town and all the things it brings, from well-known icons like Table Mountain to the lesser-known gems, such as the dunes of De Hoop,” says Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management.

It is easy to see why Cape Town would be bestowed with this accolade; the city has everything. Visitors can go mountain climbing, spend time on the beach, indulge in some authentic dining, mingle at magnificent cocktail and craft gin bars and stay at world class hotels – all in one trip. Not to mention, game drives, penguins, winelands and the world-famous Table Mountain, which makes for making unforgettable memories.

“This city really does have something to offer anyone. It also represents fantastic value for money when you consider that lots of what can do in Cape Town would cost much more in other parts of the world,” adds Alderman Vos.

This is not the first time the home of parliament has made a major splash on the international travel scene. Last year Cape Town was named “Africa’s Leading Festival and Events Destination” in the World Travel Awards and was dubbed the “Greatest City in the World” by Telegraph Travel Readers Award for the seventh consecutive year.

Vos adds, “September is Tourism Month, with the theme being ‘Tourism for inclusive growth’. Tourism has a major part to play in our local economy and we’re trusting this latest honour will attract even more local and international visitors to our shores. The visitor economy has been hard hit and we’re hoping for accelerated recovery now the vaccination roll-out has been ramped up.”

Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism says, “With vaccination numbers climbing and strict safety protocols in place, we are ready to welcome people back. What this award shows is that despite an extremely challenging 18 months, the Mother City remains a huge part of the global travel landscape and one of the most beloved city destinations in the world.”

With flights being cheaper than they ever have been and activities options more plentiful than one could imagine, Cape Town may just be the best place to help you get over your pandemic blues. According to readers of Travel + Leisure, you will not find anywhere better between Beitbridge and Dubai.

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