Sun-Splashed City

New waterfront projects enhance Cape Town’s allure for meetings.

- Ron Bernthal

AS SOUTH AFRICA CELEBRATES 25 years of democracy since the end of apartheid, scenic and historic Cape Town, founded in 1652, is experiencing an unprecedented surge of tourism, new business ventures and urban development projects. Ambitious city projects valued at approximately $1 billion are anticipated during the next four to five years, including several new hotel, office and residential developments already underway, as well as the recent completion of the Cape Town International Convention Centre’s expansion project.

With the iconic presence of Table Mountain in the background and lying a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean, the final piece of the CTICC’s major expansion project, a soaring, steel-and-glass pedestrian sky bridge connecting the new building to the original 2003 structure, was completed earlier this year. “We are very excited about our sky bridge, which is both beautiful and functional,” said Julie-May Ellingson, CEO, Cape Town International Convention Centre. “As a worldclass venue, the CTICC is now able to welcome more attendees as well as host large-scale events across both buildings.” The new building offers more than 30,000 additional square feet of meeting and exhibition space.

Upcoming events at the CTICC include the Congress of the International Society for Gynecologic Endoscopy; Cape Town Art Fair; Cape Town Jazz Festival; the Design Conference; and the 2023 Congress of the International Association of Pediatric Dentistry, which will take place in Africa for the first time.

The CTICC sits within walking distance of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a new, 300-acre, mixed-use project which has become Africa’s largest tourist attraction, drawing more than 24 million visitors a year. With its new hotels, restaurants, retail shops, pedestrian and bicycle paths and entertainment activities, the Waterfront district offers a distinct and vibrant atmosphere.