The Garden Route is defined as the 'Eden of the Cape' by virtue of its natural beauty and 'clean' image. The region is also fast becoming a globally attractive place to live, work and retire. The main reasons behind this are :
• The excellent Transport infrastructure/ the Recreational infrastructure (particularly nature focused)/ Clean and Knowledge intensive industries/ Innovative people.

Economic Significance of the Garden Route : (info IDP 97/00)
Dominant Industries : Agriculture : dairy, vegetables, citrus fruit, ferns and foliage, proteas and wild flowers, ostriches, hops, thatch reed, forestry and aloes. Fishing and Mariculture; Ocre and Bentonite Mining; Petrochemicals;
Conservation; Tourism, including eco and medical tourism; Golf and other sports; Furniture and other wood products;
Biotechnology and IT; Process Manufacturing; Arts and Crafts; Clothing and Footwear; Food Processing; Agri-Processing; Cottage Industries; Marine/ Boating-related activities.

Statistics SA figures from 2001 :
Total SA Population : 44 561 000 - 78% Black/ less than 11% White/ around 9% Coloured/ around 2.5% Indian. 1997 - 0.7% of SA Population situated in the S.Cape eg. 280 000 (14 437 in non-urban areas/ 255 563 in urban) Southern Cape Race Distribution similar to that found in the Western Cape : 19-25% White (depending on the time of year) / Black 19%/ Indian 0% (420 people)/ Coloured 56%.

4 out of 10 people in the S.Cape in 1997 had either no education (7%), or a primary school level education (33%). 48% had secondary school education and 9% had tertiary education.
Historically job opportunities decrease by about 17% per 10 years, but the population is increasing all the time.
Employment Dynamics in the various sectors :
• AGRICULTURE : (10%) vulnerable to commodity pricing, decreased employment trend, capital intensification is a trend, labour unskilled and vulnerable.
• FORESTRY : employment increasing.
• FISHING : quota restrictions bode ill for employment.
• MINING : employment levels low.
• CONSTRUCTION : high level of employment (15%).
• TRANSPORT : (4.7%).
• MANUFACTURING : (14%), mainly agri-processing and Petro SA.
• TRADE/ RETAIL : (9%) rapid growth.
• TOURISM : (8.6%) most rapid growth, seasonal.
• SURVIVAL : employment in the informal sector is increasing.

Southern Cape District Council (SCDC) is the driving force behind the regional integrated development plan (IDP), which is aimed at stimulating economic upliftment. The SCDC has identified 5 specific growth sectors in the region :

TOURISM/ FORESTRY/ AGRICULTURE (niche health foods, ostriches, soya, hops, citrus, wool, beef, thatch, fynbos, wild flowers, also wheat, sugar beans, herbs and vegetables, dairy, deciduous fruit)/ PETRO-CHEMICAL (downstream processing of by-products)/ HIGH TECHNOLOGY (IT and pharmaceutical research).