Residents say the rental prices have increased sharply and have accused authorities to prepare a tourist space through the locals of the city. (Getty Images)
Residents of the Cape Town called the City Assembly to carry out the “tourist tax” to be paid by digital nomads, and thus caused rental and general living expenses.
Digital nomads are foreigners working abroad, but using technology, using technology, choose themselves in the cities of choices around the world.
Authorities previously signed up to tourism from these semi-permanent visitors, but more than 3,000 people signed in Cape Town CHATE.ORGBy claiming that the growth of digital nomads is managed by the city of a city with a “modern colonial”.
“I have seen the effects of digital nomads in the last few years, renting and total housing crisis, accommodation and expenditures have been expensive,” said Michael Van Nieijer, initiated the application Mail & Guardian.
Data collected by the National Low Income Housing Coalition in Cape Town indicates that Remote workers We are ready to pay between R30 000 and R30,000 in a month for a room apartment. The median monthly salary of many local residents won R5 500, for this, this apartment is unavailable for them.
Many entrepreneurs also choose to advertise their features for a short-term rent on platforms on platforms such as Airbnb, reduce the availability of long-term housing for local residents. By December 2024, there were more than 25,800 active short-term rental lists, which exceeded cities such as Cape Town, Florence and Berlin.
Cape Town’s historical Bo-Kaap neighborhood, candy houses, residents are concerned about the ship-run ship by tourism and foreign property investments.
It is said that the flow of digital nomads and tourists has increased property prices that threaten the long-lasting communities.
“Please get away. You are expensive to Cape Town for South Africans,” a social media user was sent.
“Our rent prices have increased sharply – we can barely provide living expenses – because the city has prepared a Cape Town tourist destination, rather than paying attention to the residents.”
Cape Town officials consider regulatory measures, including amendments to the policy of the city. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis offered the property features used for lasting term tenants from the settlement, the specifics used to commercial tax rates to provide an equal economic environment.
“The city is not to promote justice in the living industry, not in the city, not the city, relative to the city, to provide a commercial to the city (people who work as the main use of property,” the Economic Growth of the Municipal Committee M & G.
According to him, the initiative aims to create a level playground among traditional residential providers and short-term rental operators.
Van Niekerk, but the National Government wants to apply tourist taxes because “residents did not have to pay the same price as tourists entering powerful currencies such as euros or dollars.”
The country presented a digital nomadic visa that requires the registration of income services on October 2024 in 2024 and to pay the South African tax for their earnings.
The visa demonstrates foreigners to live and operate in the country for up to 36 months, which is minimum income with a minimum of 976 and is used by a company outside South Africa.
Tourism Cape Town plays a key role in the economy and has historically direct contribution Between 2% and 3.5% each year, about 45,000 works directly and support 150,000 jobs indirectly.
In 2019, the World Travel and Tourism Council, the travel and the tourism sector contributed to the city economy more than $ 2.5 billion. The Covid-19 pandemia caused a contribution to $ 1.8 billion in 2022 with the contribution of the sector.
The latest information of South African statistics shows that the country’s tourism sector has reached 8.92 million international arrival in 2024, a constant recovery with a 5.1% increase in the previous year. The majority of these visitors were accounting for 76% of global arrival between Africa and January-December 2024.
Although the sector is still fully recovering in pandemic levels, 8.8% now make a national contribution General internal product According to the council, 1.68 million works.
Predictions Statista by the Global Intelligence Platform, in 2026, Cape Town’s direct tourism contribution to South Africa will reach $ 3.7 billion.
But those who influenced social media Cape city called city officials for “attractive for tourists, not locals.”
In response, he said that such criticism has increased the main significance of “such criticism”, and providing the main significance of the growing supply of the market to provide the environment to provide more housing supply.
Calls Cape Town faces are not unique. Lisbon, Portugal, rent prices increased by 30% over the past five years, caused mass protests against digital nomads and tourists.
Similarly, the city of Mexico, the growing number of local workers is growing living expenses. Both cities have taken measures to regulate short-term rent and reduce the impact on local housing markets.
A new study by the financial services provider is a fourth most popular destination for Nebeus, South Africa’s affordability, modern conditions and scenes.
Other popular places identified by digital nomads are Thailand, Malaysia, Argentina, Japan, Mexico, Hungary, Greece and Poland.
