Cape Town ranks fifth in global gay-friendly destinations

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Boasting rights

This is the latest accolade further cementing the Mother City's reputation as a global destination for visits. Cape Town received three accolades in 2016 alone, giving the city boasting rights for:

• The 2015-16 Telegraph Travel Awards chose Cape Town as Best City (for the fourth year running).
• In Condé Nast’s Reader’s Choice Awards, Cape Town took the honour as the number one food city in the world for 2016.
• Cape Town has been named as Luxury City Destination of the Year for the second consecutive year in the Luxury Travel Guide Africa & Middle East Awards 2016.

LGBT visitors well-catered for

Cape Town Tourism CEO, Enver Duminy says “South Africa has a reputation for tolerance, and Cape Town is known for so many entertainment, restaurant and accommodation choices that cater specifically for LGBT visitors as well as a vast array of interesting things to see and do across the city throughout the year. This is a niche tourism market that is well-catered for.

Cape Town is popular as a honeymoon destination, the Mother City is full of romantic restaurants and wedding venues, and there are churches and ministers who conduct LGBT weddings.

South Africa represents a very attractive market to international visitors because of the favourable exchange rate which makes luxury tourism affordable. This, in conjunction with the attention brought by accolades such as this one, will help in boost our popularity as a global travel destination.

That Cape Town hosted the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association’s (IGLTA) 33rd Global Conference in 2016 is important: this was the first time the conference was held on the continent. Cape Town is often described as the “Gateway to Africa”, and it is to be hoped that our reputation for tolerance spreads throughout the continent to inspire other nations to provide a welcoming, tolerant attitude to locals and visitors.”