While the survey of businesses operating in the tourism and hospitality sector received a lower-than-expected 183 responses, the Overstrand Municipality Tourism Department gathered valuable and practical input from businesses across Hermanus, Kleinmond, Gansbaai and Stanford.
The survey shows that while the tourism sector is confident about the future, businesses are still heavily affected by seasonality, infrastructure challenges, and gaps in service delivery.
Around 65% of businesses said they feel confident about the next five years. However, 77% described their trade as seasonal, with many relying on a short peak period to earn most of their income.
The strongest message across all towns is the need to grow tourism beyond the traditional whale season. More than 60% of respondents said extending the season and promoting year-round experiences like food and wine should be a top priority.
Businesses also raised concerns about infrastructure. Water supply, power outages, road conditions and tourism signage were all highlighted as issues that directly affect visitor experience and business operations.
HERMANUS:
Hermanus remains the main tourism hub, making up over half of all responses.
Most businesses (67%) are confident about the future, but many raised concerns about water supply and power outages, especially during peak periods when visitor numbers increase significantly.
Parking in the CBD was highlighted as a major problem affecting foot traffic. There were also strong concerns about unregulated short-term rentals creating an uneven playing field.
The Whale Festival received widespread criticism from CBD businesses. Feedback suggests it is not delivering enough value to local businesses and may be impacting the area negatively during the event period.
Despite the success of the First Fridays Artwalk, permanent gallery owners feel sidelined during major festivals like FynArts and Kalfiefees. Feedback suggests these events focus heavily on pop-up venues, failing to leverage the established gallery infrastructure already present in the Hermanus CBD.
Interestingly, several businesses flagged school sports and sporting events as a “substantial influx” driver, providing a steady and reliable economic boost that is often overlooked compared to major festivals.
A major insight from the feedback is that businesses aren’t necessarily “anti-event,” but they are frustrated by the lack of advance notice. “We need much more upfront notifications regarding ALL events, festivals etc… months in advance – for example, the 2026 Whale Festival – is it happening? if so, when? we have had zero info on it.”
KLEINMOND:
Kleinmond businesses reported the lowest confidence levels among the four towns, with just over half feeling positive about the next five years.
The data highlights a specific and frustrating challenge: people are using the town as a road, not a destination. Visitors might stop for a quick photo or a coffee, but they don’t stay the night or visit the local shops, meaning the “big money” goes elsewhere.
“Betty’s Bay is a ‘drive through’ village with people stopping for the penguins… more effort should be put into making it easy for tourists to choose to stay more than one night.”
Signage is a major concern, with 48% of respondents saying it is inadequate. Harbour Road was specifically mentioned as being difficult to find, which affects visitor numbers.
The town also has the highest level of seasonality, with many businesses relying on a short peak period. In Kleinmond, the ‘Peak’ is very high, but the ‘Quiet’ is very low. When a town has high seasonality, it is incredibly difficult to hire and keep good staff.
Marketing is seen as ineffective by more than half of respondents, and there is a strong call for better promotion of the area as a destination in its own right. Businesses feel they can’t afford vague Overstrand/Cape Whale Coast marketing. They want marketing that highlights things only Kleinmond has, like the Kogelberg Biosphere (a UNESCO site), the wild horses, or the unique adventure trails, so that people choose Kleinmond first.
Concerns were also raised about major tourism assets, including the closure of Rooisand Nature Reserve and the condition of the Kogelberg Biosphere entrance.
GANSBAAI:
Gansbaai businesses show high confidence in the future, with 69% feeling positive about the next five years. However, this optimism is balanced against a high level of frustration regarding the town’s physical state and its narrow economic base.
Power outages have the highest impact here compared to other towns, and road conditions were also highlighted as a major concern. 42% of businesses flagged electricity unreliability and water constraints as “Severe Impact” threats.
While marketing is rated more positively than in other areas, there is concern about over-reliance on the shark cage diving industry. Many businesses feel the local tourism offering needs to be expanded and better promoted. Respondents want the Municipality to market Gansbaai as a broader destination for land-based wildlife, art (Baardskeerdersbos) and antiques.
Feedback also points to the need to improve the entrance to Gansbaai and to make better use of existing assets like Kleinbaai Harbour. Businesses feel that the appearance and facilities of the harbour – and the town’s entrance – do not match the “premium” prices international tourists pay for maritime excursions.
STANFORD
Stanford has the highest confidence levels among all towns, but also faces major challenges.
Most businesses describe their trade as seasonal, and very few operate year-round. Recruitment is the biggest issue, with more than 50% of respondents saying it is difficult to find staff, mainly due to a lack of affordable housing. Commuting staff is unsustainable for small-scale boutique operations.
While Stanford is successfully positioning itself as a hub for Destination Weddings and Cycling events, these sectors are being throttled by deteriorating road access (especially the Stanford Hills Road).
Businesses in Stanford highlighted the need to build on the town’s own identity, focusing on food/wine, outdoor activities, heritage and small-scale events. There is consensus in Stanford around the concept of Slow Tourism.
There is also a strong message to protect the town’s character and avoid over-commercialisation.
“Keep events authentic and unique. Celebrate and promote what we have and don’t turn the region into ‘Disney theme parks.’ Local restaurants should be supported to remain open during ‘off months,’ as there are very few food offerings for visitors after 8pm.”
Conclusion
The survey shows that the Overstrand tourism sector possesses all the ingredients of a world-class tourism economy: natural beauty, high-quality hospitality and an optimistic business community.
Businesses want better support across all towns, not only in Hermanus.
At the same time, service delivery and infrastructure need to keep pace with growth to support long-term sustainability, so that the Overstrand Municipality can ensure its tourism sector remains a strong engine for job creation and economic growth for decades to come.
