News that Cape Town has been named Africa’s Best Beach Destination at the 2012 World Travel Awards couldn’t be better timed, as it coincided with National Marine Week from 8 to 12 October.
Cape Town received more votes than Bazaruto (Mozambique), Diani Beach (Kenya), Plettenberg Bay (South Africa), Zanzibar (Tanzania) and Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) in the World Travel Awards, a prestigious event held to promote winning destinations on account of their superior tourist offerings.
It is a testament to the high quality of our beaches that even non-human families love it here: the endangered and endemic African penguins of Boulder’s Beach, for example, would agree that conditions are pristine and ripe for their breeding colony.
National Geographic named nearby Muizenberg one of the World’s 20 Best Surf Towns this year, and in 2011 Lonely Planet awarded Cape Town second place for the World’s Ten Best Beach Cities.
The city’s beaches have received even more accolades in the form of Blue Flag status. In fact, with eight Blue Flag-approved beaches – Bikini, Camps Bay, Clifton Fourth, Llandudno, Mnandi, Muizenberg, Silwerstroomstrand and Strandfontein beaches – Cape Town is the city with the greatest number of Blue Flag status beaches in South Africa.
To be awarded Blue Flag status, which is an internationally recognised standard of excellence award, a number of strict criteria must be adhered to. The status indicates that our beaches are clean, have adequate ablution facilities and parking, are environmentally sound, are safe and secure to visit, and adhere to international safety and tourism standards. The accreditation is awarded for one season at a time, and if conditions change at the beach, it can be withdrawn.
Says Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Marketing Grant Pascoe, “Cape Town’s beaches are a huge tourism asset, particularly because they are so diverse. We have family beaches, tidal pools, clear water, challenging surf, endless beaches, tranquil coves and more. Our beaches are places for relaxation, exercise, discovery and inspiration and so appeal to a wide range of travellers and can offer so much in a single visit.”
Various departments at the City of Cape Town have formed a Coastal Management partnership to ensure that the Mother City’s beaches remain the best, for residents and tourists alike. Clean beaches help promote human health and protect the environment, as well as boost tourism – this is managed by the City’s Solid Waste Department. The Sport and Recreation Department manages beaches and organises beach events throughout the year. The Environmental Resource Management Department is instrumental in managing the city’s Blue Flag beach programme, a Fixed Point Photography Beaches Project (which investigates spatial and temporal change of beaches over time), Sustainable Coastal Management Plans and the Shark Spotting programme. Click here to view the City’s Coastal Zone Management Strategy.
Flanked as Cape Town is by the Indian and the Atlantic oceans, our beaches represent more than summer fun – they are the cornerstones of immense biodiversity and an environmental concern as global overfishing, pollution and climate change begin to affect us negatively.
Read more about Cape Town’s marine biodiversity, our beautiful beaches, and the challenges that face them, in our e-book here. Once you’ve absorbed its beautiful pictures and text, make time to visit any of our marvellous beaches this weekend to celebrate our natural heritage.
