It has been two months since Sun City and airline SA Express linked the skies between Cape Town, Johannesburg and the magical resort in the North West province for the first time. Passenger volumes are increasing steadily as travelers take advantage of the opportunity to fly direct to the iconic Sun City Resort.
Flights to Pilanesberg from Johannesburg as well as Cape Town each have the capacity to accommodate 50 travelers. The South African community is taking full advantage of the flights to the Pilanesberg, accounting for 60% of sales while international travelers make up the remaining 40%. The route opens up a convenient direct channel for these visitors and bodes well for tourism in the province.
Sun City managing executive, Mike van Vuuren, says the availability of commercial flights to and from Pilanesberg has opened up the gateway for easier and faster access to Sun City and the numerous attractions available in the Pilanesberg area.
“As a resort we help create experiences that make lasting memories, investing in ways to make access to Sun City easier for our guests is an integral part of our ethos. The direct commercial flights in and out of both Pilanesberg Airport and soon Mafikeng Airport have tremendous potential to bolster leisure and business tourism in the North West Province and we are excited to form part of this promising opportunity,” he notes.
SA Express’s first commercial flights to the Pilanesberg commenced on Wednesday, 1 April 2015. SA Express currently offers return flights into the Pilanesberg from OR Tambo International Airport and from Cape Town International twice a week on Monday and Friday, with growth on the horizon.
“The two months since the direct commercial flights to and from Pilanesberg commenced has marked an evolutionary period in our 21-year history and our coming of age. This is the first time in 21 years that we are flying in the North West province which makes us a truly regional South African airline that connects practically all of our major cities with small and outlying ones in the country. These flights are also a game changer for the North West, catapulting the province to the premier league of economic players,” says Mr Inati Ntshanga, SA Express CEO.
