Good Hood: The Beauty and the Backfire of Belonging

We’ve already explored the risks of Cape Town drifting into complacency (Slaapstad), and we’ve surfaced the tensions that emerge when tourism trends toward exclusivity and exclusion (Billionaires’ Burg).

Now, we turn the corner into something far more seductive — and far more complicated.

Welcome to Good Hood — a future built on cultural pride and place-making. A vibrant, soulful, community-first Cape Town. Sounds good, right?

Well, it is.

Until it’s not.

What is Good Hood?

In the CTT Futures Report 2039, Good Hood represents a powerful scenario: one where neighbourhood pride and local ownership drive tourism from the ground up.

It’s a city where…

• Local communities are the heart of the experience,

• Arts, culture, and history are celebrated not sold out, and

• Tourism is rooted in identity, not just economics.

But here’s the twist: If not carefully guided, Good Hood can spiral into something else entirely; a trendier, shinier version of gentrification disguised as cultural progress.

Good Hood Gone Bad: The Global Caution Signs

Across the world, we’ve seen authentic neighbourhoods become Instagrammable shells of their former selves;

• Lisbon: Once a hub of neighbourhood vibrancy, it now battles anti-tourism protests and housing shortages due to Airbnb takeovers and remote workers.

• New Orleans: Known for soul and jazz, but locals now question whether Mardi Gras celebrates their heritage or sells it.

• Medellín: La Comuna 13 is a success story of transformation, but also a case study in how tourism-led art can be co-opted.

The Dilemma: Cultural Revival or Cultural Erosion?

Good Hood is not a fairy tale. It’s a balancing act.

When we celebrate our neighbourhoods, do we truly protect them or do we unintentionally open the door for outsiders to take over?

This is the tension Cape Town must wrestle with -> How do we grow tourism, jobs, and the economy, while keeping our culture and soul intact?

It doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. But it does require a strategy of “AND” not “either/or.”

From Gentrification to Regeneration

To get Good Hood right, we need to -

• Safeguard affordable housing for locals,

• Support neighbourhood-led tourism cooperatives,

• Ensure cultural custodianship stays in the hands of those who live it, and

• Grow businesses with - not just on top of, communities.

What’s Next in This Futures Series?

Three down. Two to go.

Next up, we enter Techy Town -> the hyper-digital, AI-powered city of the future.

After that?

We close with Mother City, the long-term vision of balance and resilience.

But first, we want to hear from you...

• Has your neighbourhood started to feel more like a product than a place?

• What would it take to build a tourism future rooted in community, not just commerce?

Let’s make sure the future is GOOD HOOD, not just a good-looking one.