Visitor numbers up at Cape Point

More than 223,000 visitors visited Cape Point on the Flying Dutchman funicular railway during the 2014 summer season - a 4.14% increase compared to the previous year. Visitor entry figures into the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park, where Cape Point is located, also increased by 5.51% over the same period in 2013.

Judiet Barnes, marketing manager for Cape Point, says the figures are equivalent to those seen at the height of South Africa's tourism boom in 2007.

"The weakening rand and improvement in global economies are encouraging more international visitors to South Africa, which is seen as a high-quality and value-for-money destination," said Barnes.

"We've also put a lot of energy into our digital marketing, cultivating nearly 60,000 followers on Facebook in 22 months, and we have been driving awareness for Cape Point on Twitter and Instagram."

Named after the Flying Dutchman ghost ship

Built in 1996, the electric-powered funicular railway is named after the Flying Dutchman ghost ship sighted by sailors over the past three-and-a-half centuries. The funicular railway transports visitors to an historic lighthouse and Cape Point's iconic views. The change in altitude is just 87 metres but the steep climb takes the cars about three minutes to travel the 585 metres of rail.

Cape Point Nature Reserve is open seven days a week (7am to 5pm April to September, 6am to 6pm October to March), with the Flying Dutchman funicular railway, Two Oceans Restaurant and the Curio Stores open from 9am to 5pm.

For more information, go to www.capepoint.co.za or call the Information Centre on +27 (0)21 780 9010/11. Follow Cape Point on Twitter @CapePointSA and like Cape Point on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CapePointSA.