Cape Town has been crowned the World’s Leading Tourism Destination for 2026 at the prestigious World Travel Awards ceremony held in Dubai.

The Mother City beat out stiff competition from Paris, Tokyo, Dubai, and New York to claim the top honour, marking the first time a South African city has won the award.

Tourism Minister praised the achievement as a testament to Cape Town’s unique combination of natural beauty, cultural richness, and world-class hospitality infrastructure.

The V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, and the Cape Winelands were highlighted as key attractions drawing millions of visitors annually. The city’s thriving food scene, vibrant arts community, and adventure tourism offerings also contributed to the win.

Tourism contributes approximately 8.6% to South Africa’s GDP and employs over 1.5 million people across the country.