A World In One Province: Wesgro Taps SA20 To Unlock India As Market For Western Cape Tourism

South Africa is known for its incredible diversity of people, cultures, languages, and beliefs. Cricket also happens to be an integral part for ages, and since the inception of SA20, it has only flourished

with every season. Going forward, the league has joined hands with Wesgro, the Western Cape’s official tourism agency, in order to boost South Africa’s tourism landscape.

For those who have been there or possess a little knowledge about the Rainbow Nation, just ask them about Cape Town – South Africa’s national capital. It isn’t just a single destination. It’s an experience; layered, expansive, and impossible to exhaust in one visit. Speaking of tourism, Wesgro considers India their next big focus, with cricket sitting at the heart of that conversation.

In an interaction with CNN-News18, felicitated sidelines of the SA20 Media Day in Mumbai, Julia Louw, Wesgro’s Acting Chief Tourism Officer, explained why one must visit Cape Town and the Eastern Cape.

“So, what makes Cape Town and the Western Cape truly unique is that it’s what we call a world in one province,” Julia said.

“From the nature of Table Mountain to the ocean, to the gastronomy, to the Cape Winelands, to the Overberg. I know the Indians love to drive along the Garden Route. You’ve got mountains on your left, ocean on your right.”

“It’s not a place that you can only come to once. From food, active adventure, culture, community, people, events, and then sport, cricket, you know, the connector of our two nations,” she added.

Why the Western Cape Stands Apart?

While keen to stress national unity, ‘we’re South Africa first’, the Western Cape does not shy away from highlighting its unique selling points. Within two to three hours, visitors can move from cityscapes to vineyards, coastlines to wildlife.

“We’re the only place that has the Winelands,” Julia said, referencing Route 62, described as the longest wine route in the world at roughly 750 kilometres. Add to that marine life, Table Mountain National Park, and a city literally framed by nature.

“You literally look up, and you see a mountain, and then within 30 minutes you’re in the wildlands. And then within another 40 minutes you’re looking at whales,” she added.

Cricket As A Gateway To India

India, as per Julia, is a “new market” for Western Cape tourism. Structural challenges like lack of direct flights and visa hurdles have slowed momentum. But cricket, she believes, has opened doors that traditional tourism campaigns could not.

“When the opportunity came about through SA20, we knew that we had to leverage their market and their database. There’s no better way to unlock the Indian market than sport and through cricket,” she said.

The timing, Julia felt, could not be better. With the Women’s World Cup recently concluded, where the Proteas ended as the runners-up, and the men’s World Cup scheduled for 2027, South Africa is positioning itself firmly on the global sporting map.

“SA20 the 4th time… all this kind of collective work,” She said, describing the tournament as a springboard for broader destination storytelling. “The only way we can market to a destination that has 1.4 billion people is to do it in partnership.”

SA20 & Wesgro – A Brewing Partnership

Julia explained that Wesgro’s decision to partner with SA20 was rooted in its wider mandate that goes beyond tourism to include trade and investment. While sport and cricket provide a powerful entry point into the Indian market, the real objective is long-term economic engagement.

“When we looked at SA20, we knew we had to leverage its market strength and its database. Today, one simply cannot build awareness without visibility and scale, and SA20 gives us both,” Julia said.

“We wanted to unlock the Indian market, and there was no better way than through sport, and specifically through cricket, which India loves deeply. We wanted to talk about South Africa as a destination, and we felt SA20 was the perfect partner to begin that conversation. So this was the ideal moment to build momentum,” she added.