The City of Cape Town will soon be getting a new flight that will take passengers directly to the Kruger National Park and back.
FlySafair has announced that it will be adding the new route to its roster starting on the 2nd of April 2024 and that flights will run twice a week.
Flights, which will use the company’s Boeing 737-800, will depart from Cape Town International Airport at 09h00 every Tuesday and Saturday, and will land at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport at 11h30.
The return flights will then leave at 12h05 and arrive back in Cape Town at 14h50, BusinessTech reports.
Prices for the inaugural journey on 2 April start at R1,851 for a one-way ticket.
Ever-expanding tourist hubs
The airline cited the enormous growth in South African tourism in recent years as the reason for the new flight’s inclusion, as Cape Town International recently broke a record for the number of passengers passing through its gates.
The coastal city has seen the volume of international visitors arriving at its airport nearly double from 2013 to 2023, and December 2023 broke a record with more than 317,000 foreign tourists pulling in for the festive season.
At the other end of the country, the Kruger National Park continues to be one of South Africa’s most famous international tourist destinations for those seeking a bush experience, with the park attracting millions of people each year.
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
“FlySafair’s new Cape Town to Kruger route is a blessing for inbound tourism in South Africa,” said David Frost, Southern Africa Tourism Services Association CEO.
“With Cape Town’s international two-way passenger figures soaring to 1.4 million in the first half of 2023 alone, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and the Kruger Park attracting around 4 million visitors last year, it’s clear that these destinations hold a special place on the global travel map.”
It is anticipated that the new route will be especially useful for multi-generational travellers who will want to experience everything the country’s tourist hubs have to offer, from the Kruger Park to Cape Town and the surrounding Cape Winelands.
“[The new flight] connects two of the most coveted travel experiences in South Africa. Visitors no longer have to choose between the urban charm of Cape Town or the raw wilderness of Kruger Park – they can effortlessly enjoy both,” said the airline.
Exciting developments
The new flight for Cape Town International is the latest development for the city’s blossoming tourism industry, as it was also recently announced that the Cape Winelands Airport would be receiving a R7-billion expansion.
Meant to capitalize on the popularity of the region’s many vineyards, the airport is making several infrastructure improvements, including a new runway that will allow for it to receive much bigger aircraft, effectively serving as an alternative to Cape Town International.
It is estimated that by 2050, the Winelands Airport will be responsible for 25% of all the air traffic coming through Cape Town, equating to between two and three million visitors annually.
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