Is the Cape Towwn CBD ready for the rapid development of hotels springing up in the area?
The Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy believes it is, with a number of hotels already under construction in and around the city – The Mariott Hotels at the Waterfront and two on the Foreshore; and the Tsogo Sun development on the corner of Bree and Strand streets (“R3.8bn property boom for CBD”, CapeTowner, October 13 2016) .
The Radisson Blu Hotel and residences in Riebeeck Street have also been revamped, and the proposed Modern, a mixed-use development with a hotel and in Bree streets, is in its planning stages.
The Capetonian Hotel in Heerengracht Street will also be upgraded at an estimated cost of R200 million.
“Considering the future, yes, we are ready. There are more than 60 000 more seats being occupied on Cape Town’s airlines, and many more tourists visiting.
“We are already surpassing the national average, which is about nine percent, and we can see an 18 percent growth in the next three months. And winter is not as big an issue as it used to be.
“If people don’t come, then hotels won’t be but, and we have reached a point where we need to start preparing for the future.”
Mr Duminy was speaking to the CapeTowner during a site visit to the new Tsogo Sun developments on Thursday March 2, which, once completed, will be two hotels called Sun Square and Stay Easy hotels, a three-star and a two-star hotel, respectively.
The R68 million development, each comprising of 504 rooms, is set to be completed in September this year. The hotels will have 19 floors.
The CEO of the Tsogo Sun group, Marcel van Aulock said the development was exciting for the group, as this was their first hotel they have built in the city centre after about 10 years. “If you had asked us years ago if we were going to put up a hotel in the city, we would have said no, because the hotel industry was not in a good space. Now, tourism is booming, and here we are. These were things no one could foresee.”
Cape Town deputy mayor Ian Neilson said visitors to the city had increased to about 10 million new seats on the planes in 2016.
“We have identified potential growth in the city centre, and we are promoting the Cape Town CBD as both a business and an events destination. The private sector plays a valuable role in making it happen.”
He said the revitalisation of the Foreshore precinct, which is still in its planning stages, will also see an increase in feet to the CBD.
The general manager of the Cape Sun Hotel, which is also part of the Tsogo Sun group, Jacques Moolman, who has been helping the general manager of Sun Square and Stay Easy hotels, said the hotel is an exciting project, especially in the up and coming Bree Street, as it will bring a lot more people to explore the road.
He said the Cape Sun had also recently undergone major refurbishment.
