Event report
Back To | Cape Town Tourism & Hospitality Conference
The French South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FSACCI), in partnership with Wesgro and the Belgian Chamber of Commerce for Southern Africa, hosted the fourth edition of the Cape Town Tourism & Hospitality Conference on Tuesday, 8 April 2025. The event was held at Medi24 in Cape Town and ran alongside the WTM Africa Trade Fair.
The conference brought together key stakeholders from across the tourism and hospitality sectors to share insights, discuss trends, and explore future opportunities for the region.
Wesgro CEO Wrenelle Stander opened the session with a presentation highlighting the strong performance of the Western Cape tourism sector. Cape Town was ranked first globally in RevPAR growth in 2024, with a 27% increase. The average visitor stay rose to 12.7 nights, and nearly 45% of tourism in the province came from domestic travellers. She also noted the extended season supported by Air France-KLM flights, reinforcing Cape Town’s position as a year-round destination.
The roundtable discussion, moderated by Gilles Blanc (Director at Esus-Group and part of FSACCI’s regional committee in Cape Town), focused on key industry themes such as sustainability, infrastructure, and digital transformation. Panelists included Wilson Tauro (Air France-KLM), Olivier Granet (Kasada Capital Management), Filip Wuyts (SATravellers), Médéric Chomel (Artefact), and Monika Iuel (Wesgro).
The panel explored the growing role of artificial intelligence in tourism and hospitality. Speakers shared how AI is being used in areas such as yield management, customer communication, and operational efficiency, while underlining that human interaction remains essential to the guest experience.
The event concluded with a Q&A and networking session, providing FSACCI members and guests with the opportunity to engage directly with experts and peers.
