Don’t be surprised if, while hailing a taxi in New York or London, you’re greeted by the unmistakable branding of the City of Cape Town.
It’s no error. Instead, it’s part of a bold global tourism initiative by the city aimed at transforming international visibility into real travel demand, real economic spend and real job creation at home.
The City of Cape Town has taken its tourism marketing to new heights with the This is Cape Town campaign, a large-scale international initiative designed to boost global interest and bookings while sustaining jobs in the city’s tourism sector.
Launched last year by Mayoral Committee Member for economic growth James Vos, the campaign has been rolled out across six continents and 55 cities worldwide.
“In New York digital screens are mounted on iconic yellow taxis, while in London traditional black cabs are wrapped in This is Cape Town branding,” Vos said.
He said the London taxis also feature Virgin Atlantic advertising inside, including a QR code that links directly to flight bookings.
The campaign has also gone live on connected TV platforms in key European markets, including Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany.
Increase in global air connectivity
Vos said Cape Town has recorded a notable increase in global air connectivity, supported by sustained and targeted place-marketing campaigns such as This is Cape Town.
The latest Cape Town Air Access figures, released by Wesgro, confirm 2025 was a record-breaking year for tourism, air connectivity and economic activity in the Western Cape.
For the first time in its history, Cape Town International Airport processed more than 11.1-million two-way passengers in a single year.
International travel grew strongly, with 3.3-million two-way international passengers, up 7% year-on-year, while domestic travel increased by 7%, reaching 7.8-million passengers.
December 2025 alone set a new record, with 1.12-million two-way domestic and international passengers passing through the airport.
Our focus is on growing the numbers through smart, high-impact and cost-effective campaigns backed by real conversion in key source markets
— James Vos, Cape Town MMC for economic growth
Vos said when United Airlines launched direct flights from Newark Liberty International Airport in New York to Cape Town in 2019, only 3,500 passenger seats were available on the route that year.
“Between 2019 and 2025, United Airlines will have operated 1,324 flights, delivering a cumulative 337,364 passenger seats on the route. In 2025 alone, annual seat capacity increased to 85,500 seats, with a projected 92,749 seats in 2026,” Vos said.
Increased demand has led United Airlines to introduce 28 direct flights per week between London and Cape Town, he said.
Beyond awareness, Vos said tourism contributed R27.5bn to Cape Town’s economy in 2024 and supported more than 106,000 jobs.
“Our focus is on growing the numbers through smart, high-impact and cost-effective campaigns backed by real conversion in key source markets,” he said.
In the coming months the campaign is scheduled to launch in China, India, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.
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