South Africa achieves another milestone

Cape Town has secured the bid to host WorldPride 2028, becoming the first city in South Africa and the entire African continent to host this event.

What is WorldPride?

WorldPride is a global event that celebrates LGBTQ+ pride and human rights. It focusses on promoting equality and visibility around the world. InterPride, an organisation that supports Pride events globally, is the licensor of the event. InterPride works alongside representatives from hundreds of Pride organisations worldwide.

The WorldPride event made its debut in the year 2000. The event includes parades, festivals, and also a human rights conference among various other activities. Taking place every few years in various cities, the event brings communities together for celebration and advocacy.

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend this event – a major opportunity for a positive impact on tourism.

Cape Town preparing to host

Cities across the globe compete to host the event. Cape Town won the bid to host it in 2028, a first for South Africa.

‘Our city embodies the spirit of diversity, inclusivity, and the belief that love transcends all boundaries. This event is more than a celebration; it is a statement of solidarity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals across Africa and the globe. We look forward to sharing Cape Town’s beauty, hospitality, and warm embrace with the world’ said Cape Town Tourism’s CEO, Enver Duminy.

As Cape Town prepares to host WorldPride, a new non-profit organisation, the Queer Initiative for Africa, has been created to oversee the event’s planning and execution.

Where was the previous WorldPride event?

WorldPride 2023 took place in Sydney, Australia. It was the first WorldPride to take place in the Southern Hemisphere. The event lasted 17 days and included 471 events including art events and sport tournaments. Markedly, the event generated $235.4 million in induced visitor expenditure.

People travelled from 71 countries to attend Sydney WorldPride last year. Out of these countries, most tourists were from the US, the UK, New Zealand, Germany, and Canada.

Next year’s WorldPride will take place in Washington, US from 23 May.