CAPE TOWN, Aug. 29– South Africa’s Cape Town has won two top titles at the World Travel Awards, being named both Africa’s Leading City Destination and Africa’s Leading Meetings and Conference Destination for 2026, local media reported Saturday.
The awards were announced at the World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony 2026 in Tanzania’s Zanzibar on Friday. The awards recognized winners across a wide range of categories covering hotels, airlines, tour operators and destinations.
Winners were determined by votes from travel professionals, industry leaders and the traveling public. The recognition comes as Cape Town sees growing tourism and investment from across Africa.
Visitors arriving at Cape Town International Airport from elsewhere in Africa increased by 17 percent in 2025, while foreign investor spending in the city rose by 18 percent over the same period, according to Cape Town Tourism.
Enver Duminy, chief executive officer of Cape Town Tourism, said the double win highlighted the city’s strength in both leisure and business tourism.
“Business tourism is a critical component of our tourism offering because the value of a business event extends far beyond the conference room,” Duminy was quoted by local media as saying.
“A visitor becomes a tourist, a trader and ultimately an investor. They experience our city, build relationships, discover opportunities and often return, bringing colleagues, friends and family with them.
That is the real power of business tourism,” he added. Africa’s winners will next compete in the World Travel Awards Grand Final later this year. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
