With all the travel restrictions that have become normalised around the world over the past several months, seeing luxury tourism return back to normal still seems to be rather low on authorities’ list of priorities right now. All in all, international tourism lost a total revenue of around £ 500 million throughout 2020 due to the closure of international borders. South Africa was hit particularly hard, and the number of international visitors to the country dropped by 91% last year, leading to over 300 000 job losses in the tourism industry.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. South Africa has seen a spectacular decrease in the number of new Covid cases over the past couple of months, leading to the recent re-opening of local tourism in the country. Its national vaccination program is also now well underway, and with this comes the hope that Cape Town can soon again be re-opening for international tourism. When this happens, you would seriously need to consider taking a luxury trip down to the “Mother City”.

Cape Town offers a unique blend of what we can call the “old” and the “new” world. The city centre is decorated with buildings from its colonial past, combined with a vibrant and exotic injection of African culture and is surrounded with the unique flora of the “fynbos”, the smallest of only six floral kingdoms in the world, and one found nowhere else but in and around Cape Town.

Cape Town offers luxury tourists the option of tailor-made tours not only through its city centre, but also to explore (and taste!) the exquisite winelands of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl around the city as well as scenic trips around the spectacular Cape Peninsula. Perhaps the most exciting way to explore the city is by means of a hot air balloon ride, allowing you to float silently over the peaceful landscapes of the Cape’s winelands and enjoy the graceful scenery and views of Table Mountain in the distance.

And of course, there is nothing that quite beats a sunset cruise in a luxury yacht to Clifton beach or Table Bay, which allows you to enjoy one of the most incredible backdrops on the planet.

If shopping is your thing, the city also offers some of the most exclusive retail experiences on the planet, which can be customized to your own unique needs. Shop for exclusive South African arts, crafts and designer brands with your own personal shopping guide in a shopping tour offered in luxury transport.

At the luxurious Table Bay Hotel, you can also experience foraging for the very ingredients to be used in your three-course meal along with the restaurant’s chef. This authentic springtime South African culinary experience that is not only delicious, but informative too.

In the post-Covid world we’re all excitedly looking forward to, Cape Town should naturally rank high on the list of any international tourist looking for an exclusive experience at Africa’s southernmost tip – one that certainly can’t be found anywhere else on earth.