African Cities Invest to Boost Cruise Ship Arrivals
Photo Credit: The Crystal Serenity departing the port in Cape Town. Crystal Cruises
Skift Take
Overcrowding in traditional markets and a growing demand for more adventurous itineraries will help Africa attract more cruise lines to its ports. But key to any future growth is understanding that cruise ships require more than just bricks and mortar on the quayside.
African cities are eyeing a bigger slice of the global cruise market, with upgraded terminal buildings attracting an ever-growing number of international cruise ships to ports as varied as Mombasa and Cape Town.
African ports for years have been little more than an occasional stop on an extended world cruise, but global cruise lines are increasingly expanding their destinations and extending their time in local waters, with profound benefits for local economies reliant on tourism.
Key to the recent growth has been considerable investment in cruise terminal facilities. In 2015 the management of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town invested $4 million into revamping the precinct’s Cruise Terminal, and over the past four years the facility has welcomed more than 150 vessels and upward of 260,000 passengers. According to Cape Town Tourism, the projected value of the cruise tourism industry between 2017 and 2027 is estimated to be in the region of $
