The City of Cape Town for the second consecutive year has been named the number one long haul destination in the UK’s 2004 Trends and Spends Survey.
The survey, based on research gathered from planners of meetings and incentive travel throughout the United Kingdom, saw Cape Town beat off contender cities such as New York (second place), followed by Chicago, Boston, Miami, Dubai, New Orleans, Orlando, Barbados and Las Vegas.
”Many conference and incentive travellers are so in awe of our city and the Western Cape that they’ll return on their own at a later stage, often with their families for a holiday.
”This spin-off effect from business tourism has great benefits for leisure tourism and the province, as it is continually regenerating the destination,” said Nokhuthula Dube, CEO of region’s Destination Marketing Organisation.
While Cape Town came out tops in the city category, South Africa as a country was positioned second, behind the United States.
It was followed by the Caribbean, Canada, Mauritius, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Mexico, Australia and Zambia.
Rick Taylor, the outgoing CEO of the Cape Town Convention Bureau who is soon to head up SA Tourism’s National Convention Bureau, said it was a ”great achievement” for the country as a whole to see South Africa classified as the number two long-haul destination used by UK meetings and incentive agencies.
Besides South Africa, only Zambia on the African continent featured in the top 10 with Kenya slipping from 10th to 12th position. – Sapa