First-of-its-kind Find Your Freedom initiative receives recognition at Global City Nation Place Awards in London

MEDIA STATEMENT BY ALDERMAN JAMES VOS, THE CITY’S MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH INCLUDING TOURISM

In a ringing endorsement of the Cape Town Tourism (CTT) team’s creativity and embrace of people-centred technology, the City’s official Destination Marketing Organisation was awarded with the highest commendation in the category of Best Communication Strategy for Tourism globally for their #FindYourFreedom initiative.

Find Your Freedom is a first-of-its-kind concept from a destination marketing group as people aren’t simply viewing the platform, they’re interacting with it. You begin by choosing your character – a Fearless Foodie, Nature Warrior or Urban Adventurer – and thereafter decide which part of Cape Town you’d like to experience through a series of first-person perspective videos. As the foodie, for example, you can pop into the award-winning La Colombe restaurant or join a local cooking class.

Through sustained and innovative initiatives such as these, CTT and the City have helped to revive the local tourism sector from the pandemic-induced lows.

The platform has seen excellent overseas uptake with CTT recently partnering with the Expedia online travel platform to offer great deals to potential visitors to Cape Town.

I’m happy to confirm that 191 international flights per week are landing in Cape Town, which amounts to approximately 1,5 million two-way seats between November and March for Cape Town generating a wopping R7.9 billion in tourism spend.

My goal is that we will see not only a 100% recovery rate, but that we will surpass the figures seen in 2019. I believe that we will achieve this with initiatives such as these from CTT as it will entice people the world over to find their freedom in the Mother City.

Tourism a top priority sector, because through clever campaigns and city to city agreements, we land more flights and attract more visitors, which benefits businesses through increased bookings and spending, and creates jobs for locals.