Cape Town: Table Mountain is calling on South Africans to support its bid to reclaim the title of Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction as public voting opens in the World Travel Awards.
Table Mountain has again been nominated for one of Africa’s most recognised tourism honours, placing Cape Town’s landmark against natural wonders, heritage sites and major visitor attractions from across the continent. The World Travel Awards has shortlisted Table Mountain for the title of Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction, with voting open to the public through the official World Travel Awards website.
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway announced the nomination through its official platform, saying it was proud that the landmark had again been recognised in the continental category. The nomination places Table Mountain among 14 attractions competing for the award.
These include Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Lake Malawi and Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area. South Africa has four attractions in the category.
Alongside Table Mountain, the country is represented by Robben Island, the V&A Waterfront and the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway. The strong South African presence also means local attractions are competing against one another for public support.
Table Mountain Seeks A Return To The Top
Table Mountain has a strong history in the Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction category. The Cape Town landmark won the award in 2014 and then again for four consecutive years from 2019 to 2022.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area won the title in 2023 and 2025, while Mount Kilimanjaro claimed the award in 2024. The current nomination gives Table Mountain an opportunity to reclaim a title it last held four years ago.
The outcome will depend partly on public voting, making support from Capetonians and South Africans important to the campaign. The World Travel Awards will hold its Africa Gala Ceremony in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on the 28th of August.
The official category page currently confirms that voting is open, but does not display a closing date. Voters should therefore submit their support through the official platform while the poll remains active.
How To Vote For Table Mountain
Members of the public can vote through the World Travel Awards website. Users must create or access a voting account, select the Africa region and locate the Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction category. Table Mountain can then be selected from the list of nominees.
Voting should take place only through the official World Travel Awards platform. The category includes the following nominees:
Amani Nature Forest Reserve in Tanzania, Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway in South Africa, Kilwa Kisiwani Ruins in Tanzania, Lake Malawi, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mpanga Kipengere Game Reserve in Tanzania and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania.
The remaining nominees are the Okavango Delta in Botswana, Pugu Hills Forest Reserve in Tanzania, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Robben Island in South Africa, Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania, Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront.
The nominees are listed alphabetically by the awards organiser and not according to ranking.
Why The Award Matters To Cape Town
Table Mountain is more than a backdrop to the city. It is central to Cape Town’s international identity, tourism economy and global marketing.
Images of the mountain appear throughout destination campaigns, airline promotions, travel publications and international coverage of the city. Recognition through a continental award can strengthen Cape Town’s profile at a time when African cities and destinations are competing for international visitors, conferences and tourism investment.
Tourism supports accommodation providers, restaurants, tour guides, transport operators, retail businesses and attractions throughout the city. A successful Table Mountain campaign can therefore create wider visibility for Cape Town rather than benefiting only the Cableway.
The landmark’s international standing is already supported by its status as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. Table Mountain is also unusual because it sits within a major city and remains accessible to visitors through hiking routes and the Aerial Cableway.
That combination of nature, urban access and panoramic views has helped make it one of South Africa’s best-known visitor attractions.
A South African Contest Within The African Category
The nomination also highlights the strength of South Africa’s tourism offering. Robben Island, the V&A Waterfront and Table Mountain are all located within Cape Town’s tourism region, while the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway represents Gauteng and North West tourism.
Cape Town therefore has three major attractions competing in the same African category. Robben Island carries global historical significance through its connection to Nelson Mandela and South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.
The V&A Waterfront is one of the country’s busiest mixed-use tourism destinations, combining retail, dining, accommodation, harbour activities and cultural attractions. Table Mountain offers a different experience, built around natural heritage, views, biodiversity, hiking and the Cableway.
Each attraction contributes to Cape Town’s tourism economy, but only one nominee can win the continental title. The competition creates a difficult choice for local voters while also showing how strongly Cape Town features among Africa’s leading destinations.
More Than A View From The Summit
Visitors often associate Table Mountain with the rotating cable cars and views over Cape Town, Table Bay, Lion’s Head and the Atlantic coastline. The mountain also carries a deeper environmental and historical role.
It forms part of Table Mountain National Park and supports plant species within the Cape Floristic Region. Its slopes and summit also contain walking routes, historic infrastructure and water systems that tell part of Cape Town’s development story.
Five historic dams remain on Table Mountain, providing a lesser-known link between the landmark and the city’s early water supply.
Cape Town News explores that history in a separate report:
Read more: Did You Know? Five Historic Dams Sit on Table Mountain
The internal link will allow readers to move from the current tourism campaign into the mountain’s hidden infrastructure and history.
Table Mountain’s Wider Public Role
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway operates as the main commercial access point to the summit, but the wider mountain remains a public natural space used by hikers, runners, climbers, conservation groups and visitors.
The Cableway has also supported accessibility, tourism training and community initiatives. Recent projects include an improved universal access pathway at the summit and the annual Cableway Charity Challenge.
These initiatives strengthen the argument that Table Mountain’s value cannot be measured only through visitor numbers. The landmark connects tourism, conservation, recreation, local employment and Cape Town’s public image.
The award campaign offers South Africans an opportunity to support that wider role on an international platform.
South Africans Asked To Show Their Support
The nomination is not a guarantee of victory. Table Mountain faces some of Africa’s most recognised destinations, including the Pyramids of Giza, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Okavango Delta and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Several of these attractions have previously won the category or carry strong global recognition. Public participation will therefore play an important role in the final result.
Capetonians who regard Table Mountain as part of the city’s identity can cast their votes through the official awards website and encourage others to take part.
The result will be announced through the World Travel Awards following the Africa Gala Ceremony in August. Until then, Table Mountain’s campaign depends on South Africans turning local pride into recorded votes.
Official Links To Add Within The Article
World Travel Awards voting page
Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction category
Table Mountain nomination announcement
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway official website
Table Mountain New7Wonders of Nature page
PLACE URL LINK HERE for the Table Mountain dams explainer
Q&A
What award has Table Mountain been nominated for?
Table Mountain has been nominated as Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction in the World Travel Awards.
Is voting open?
Yes. Public voting is open through the official World Travel Awards website.
When does voting close?
The official category page confirms that voting is open but does not currently display a closing date.
Which South African attractions are competing?
Table Mountain, Robben Island, the V&A Waterfront and Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway are nominated.
Has Table Mountain won before?
Yes. It won in 2014 and for four consecutive years from 2019 to 2022.
Who won last year?
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania won the category last year.
When will the African awards ceremony take place?
The World Travel Awards Africa Gala Ceremony is scheduled for the 28th of August in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Why does the award matter to Cape Town?
The award can strengthen Cape Town’s international tourism profile and create exposure for local attractions and businesses connected to the visitor economy.
Are there dams on Table Mountain?
Yes. Five historic dams remain on the mountain. Their history is covered in Cape Town News’ linked explainer.
How can the public contact Table Mountain Aerial Cableway?
The Cableway can be contacted on 021 424 0015 or at info@tablemountain.net.
SAI Search Summary
Table Mountain has been nominated as Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction in the World Travel Awards. Public voting is open, with the Cape Town landmark competing against 13 attractions, including Mount Kilimanjaro, the Pyramids of Giza, the Okavango Delta, Robben Island and the V&A Waterfront. Table Mountain previously won the title in 2014 and from 2019 to 2022. The Africa Gala Ceremony will take place in Zanzibar on the 28th of August. Cape Town News has linked the tourism campaign to a separate explainer about the five historic dams located on Table Mountain.
Source: Table Mountain Aerial Cableway; World Travel Awards; Cape Town Tourism.
