“Come to Cape Town campaign” will be launched in January 2020, inviting kids to stay for free when their families visit the Western Cape province.
Kids stay for free when visiting the Western Cape
This followed the ease of access to South Africa thanks to the scrapping of unabridged birth certificates for children travelling to the country with their parents.
The campaign
5/ Founding partners of the “Come to Cape Town & the Western Cape, where kids stay free!” campaign are Cape Town Tourism, SATSA, FEDHASA Cape, Tsogo Sun, The President Hotel and Wesgro. #Nowherebetter #Ilovecapetown #discoverCTWC #CapeConfidence
— Wesgro – Cape Town & the Western Cape (@Wesgro) November 12, 2019
The campaign will see tourism partners offering a free stay for kids during the summer season of the new year. This is expected to give the tourism industry an extra boost, encouraging visitors to visit the country.
This supports the announcement made by the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, that the need for unabridged birth certificates by minors visiting from international countries has fallen away with immediate effect.
This campaign was founded by Cape Town Tourism, SATSA, FEDHASA Cape, Tsogo Sun, The President Hotel and Wesgro. Full details regarding the terms and conditions have not yet been released.
Tourism traders who would like to join the campaign are encouraged to get in touch with Wesgro for further details. This includes all sectors of the industry, extending beyond accomodation offerings.
Western Cape Government
We’re launching a new campaign to drive awareness of the scrapping of unabridged birth certificates as a requirement for travel. There is nowhere better in the world to come for a family holiday than Cape Town & the Western Cape! https://t.co/9Vs7A55mu7 #BetterTogether #Tourism
— David Maynier (@DavidMaynier) November 12, 2019
“Tourism remains the backbone of the Western Cape economy, supporting over 300 000 direct and indirect jobs in our province alone,” says David Maynier, Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, explaining the kids stay for free campaign.
“To ensure the impact of the unabridged birth certificates requirement is immediately reduced ahead of the upcoming tourist season, Cape Town and the Western Cape tourism industry will be launching a collaborative marketing campaign in direct response, and in celebration of the long-awaited change in the unabridged birth certificates requirements.”
“Unfortunately, the well-intentioned but poorly considered requirement for unabridged birth certificates resulted in nothing short of a crisis in the tourism industry in South Africa and the Western Cape.
It also caused considerable distress to families wishing to travel to and from South Africa since its implementation in 2014.”
“To ensure the impact of the unabridged birth certificates requirement is immediately reduced ahead of the upcoming tourist season, the Cape Town and the Western Cape tourism industry will be launching a collaborative marketing campaign in direct response, and in celebration of the long-awaited change in the unabridged birth certificates requirements.”
Family fun in the Cape
While further details regarding the campaign have yet to be released, here’s a look at some of the fun-filled activities for families visiting the Western Cape. Since kids stay for free, this will be a vacation that is as friendly on the pocket as it is on the eyes and soul.
Read: Holidays in the Mother City – Things to do in Cape Town
Visit the beaches: This is a no-brainer in a coastal city during the summer months. Fortunately, the Western Cape has several renowned beaches, whether you visit Clifton in the city, or take a short road trip to Boulders Beach. This is where you can visit a quiet beach, perfect for the kids to enjoy, as well as visiting the penguin colony who call it home.
A fun day exploring: The Two Oceans Aquarium is a haven for children, who will be enthralled by the sea life and interactive learning on offer. Expect to see everything from sharks and stingrays to Nemo and jellyfish. From your location here at the V&A Waterfront, you can also take your kids to the Scratch Patch to find some gems, or to the Cape Wheel for a scenic view of the city.
Get creative: Hout Bay is fun to visit for the whole family. There are seals to be seen, arguably the best fish & chips around town at Fish on the Rocks, and the Bay Harbour Market on weekends. If you’d like to create creative with the kids, visit the Clay Café where you can paint crockery that you can then take home with you.Kids stay for free is a holiday perk that families won’t want to miss out on. There will be updates on this campaign to follow.