CapeNature’s Tourism Month Celebration Shines the Spotlight on Investing in People, the Planet and Prosperity
The United Nations’ World Tourism Organisations (UNWTO) theme for International Tourism Month is, “Tourism and Green Investments”. This is a perfect fit for CapeNature, a trailblazer in developing award-winning eco-tourism infrastructure within protected areas. This year, Tourism Month has the ideal start as the entity hosts an event with likeminded stakeholders where a lively debate on the theme will spark food for thought.
CapeNature heeded a call for action by UNWTO to unite around rethinking tourism by hosting an event with key stakeholders and partners with an interest in eco-tourism. A debate on tourism and green investments was facilitated by Jo-Ann Strauss, renowned businesswoman and media personality, with expert panel members Sheraaz Ismail, Executive Director for Eco-Tourism and Access at CapeNature, Odile Hufkie, Marketing Manager for Cape Union Mart, Lillian Hlabangane, Head of Sales from Cape Town International Conference Centre, Julia Louw, Head of Leisure Tourism from Wesgro and Ilse van Schalkwyk, Chief Director for Economic Sector Support from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
CapeNature’s tourism development projects are carefully planned to minimise and mitigate environmental impacts while also optimising the use of green building technology. The entity’s post COVID-19 revenue performance has for the past two financial years set unprecedented records in revenue generation with a year-on-year growth of nearly 20%.
Minister Anton Bredell, MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, encourages the rechannelling of investments toward the betterment of humanity, our planet and shared prosperity: “Investing in our people is paramount. We need to nurture our workforce, enabling them with the skills, knowledge, and innovation required to propel our industry forward. We need to ensure that the tourism sector delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency. The green transformation of the tourism sector is very much needed, not just for the planet, but also for tourism itself, for boosting competitiveness and increasing resilience. Green investments and innovation in the tourism sector must play a leading role to support this transformation. Prosperity thrives on entrepreneurship and innovation and it's imperative that we foster a space where this can flourish. By increasing investments, particularly for our youth and women, we can catalyse new opportunities and innovations within the tourism sector.”
Dr Razeena Omar, CEO of CapeNature, welcomed the critical engagement between tourism industry role players. “We entered 2023 with strong support from our local and international visitors with tourist numbers increasing by a staggering 43% compared to the previous year, driven by an improved customer service model and innovative projects that have been pushing to excel visitor confidence. I am grateful to see our visitors continue to enjoy world-renown experiences in wide-open spaces right in our backyards.”
Tourism is one of the world’s leading employers. In 2019, the sector employed one in 10 people worldwide and has proven to be a tool for economic diversification and a major employment engine with a multiplier effect on other sectors that contribute to rural development. We need to invest in people by investing in education and skills. This will enable us to deliver on the sector’s potential to drive growth and opportunities for all.
CapeNature has upgraded existing tourism offerings and built new products by working closely with partners and stakeholders to ensure that we have a sustained growth path via a pipeline of products including public-private partnership opportunities, and green building technology practices. One of its nature reserves, Rocherpan, on the West Coast has gone completely off grid, embracing solar energy and mitigating loadshedding. This is a future consideration for a number of its reserves in the Western Cape.
Minister Anton Bredell, MEC Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Dr Razeena Omar, CEO of CapeNature, Sheraaz Ismail, Executive Director, Eco-Tourism and Access, CapeNature and Coral Birss, Executive Director Biodiversity Capabilities, CapeNature.
The panel discussing Tourism and Green Investments facilitated by Jo-Ann Strauss (far left) with Ilse van Schalkwyk, Chief Director for Economic Sector Support from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Julia Louw, Head of Leisure Tourism from Wesgro, Mpume Mabuza, African Association of Tourism Experiences and Attractions (AAVEA), Sheraaz Ismail, Executive Director for Eco-Tourism and Access, CapeNature and Odile Hufkie, Marketing Manager for Cape Union Mart.
Jo-Ann Strauss, former Miss South Africa and well-known media personality was both the Emcee and Facilitator of the panel discussion at the World Tourism month event hosted by CapeNature.
Related News
Wildfires intensify as climate shifts, CapeNature warns in emergency podcast series
CapeNature has released a special series of its acclaimed Green Noise podcast, offering an urgent and deeply human perspective on South Africa’s recent wildfire season. The series has a particular focus on the devastating fires in the Cederberg Wilderness and changing weather patterns. The fire in the Cederberg Wilderness, which ignited on 22 December 2025 along Uitkyk Pass
Western Cape to benefit from CapeNature’s 2026 Greening Initiative
CapeNature is launching a fun and engaging greening competition for schools and communities across the Western Cape. The competition will start on 13 April 2026 to coincide with International Plant Appreciation Day and will run until 15 May 2026. The initiative aims to inspire learners and community members to actively participate in protecting the environment.
A follow up: The potential impacts of Red Swamp crayfish in Western Cape waters
Since first being found in the canal systems of lower Olifants River in 2022 by CapeNature officials, invasive Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) are being found further afield in the Western Cape at an alarming rate. This freshwater species is globally recognised as a seriously damaging invasive species.
Over 43 000 Cape Gannets on Lambert’s Bay Bird Island this breeding season
Bird Island is alive with the sounds and spectacle of seabirds, with an estimated over 43 000 Cape Gannets currently making the island their home this breeding season. The thriving colony reinforces Bird Island, Lambert’s Bay, as one of South Africa’s most important gannet breeding sites and highlights the impact of ongoing marine conservation work.
Water Week: Protecting Our Most Precious Resource
Water is fundamental to life and essential to our daily wellbeing. While this may seem widely understood, it remains important to continually remind ourselves of the value of this finite resource. Although approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, only about 2.5% of it is freshwater available to sustain ecosystems and human needs.
New SASS accreditor supports river biomonitoring in the Western Cape
CapeNature continues to strengthen its role in freshwater conservation through the expertise of its staff, with freshwater ecologist Jeanne Gouws receiving her South African Scoring System (SASS) accreditation as an accreditor. Having successfully passed every three-yearly assessment since 2007, she is now the official Western Cape SASS accreditor.