ABSTRACT
Capturing and reflecting Cape Town's uniqueness has preoccupied artists of various persuasions for centuries. For modern tourism purposes, distillation of the city's essence has been reduced to public opinion surveys. The city makes a fine place for urban tourism and is also part of any industrial and architectural touring. Impromptu vineyard touring has long been a staple ingredient of a visit to Cape Town, but private and tailored shopping and gourmet culinary and wine tasting tours are a mark of the maturing local tourist economy. Success bred success and sophistication. A township tour is a spatially visible expression of pro-poor tourism and has become a signature of tourist sensitivity, solidarity and social conscience. The purpose of township tourism is simple: tourists like to see the places where the majority of Capetonians live. The African-ness of Cape Town is a contentious and sensitive point for tourists and tourism marketers.
