BMX World Championships Media Release

 No: bmx1023

22 July 2010

BMX Champs brings R25 million bonanza to Pietermaritzburg economy
 
Pietermaritzburg – Tills all around Pietermaritzburg will be ringing for the next two weeks as the region soaks up the economic injection from the UCI BMX World Championships that start on 29 July, with analysts estimating that the event could bring R25 million into the local economy.

Participants from 38 nations are entered for the event, with 1 100 athletes, and an estimated 1 100 family, supporters and team support crew due to start flooding into the region in the days ahead of the championships.

Analysts says that number could well increase, given the groundswell of optimism towards South Africa after the successful Soccer World Cup.

Conservative estimates based on 2 200 international visitors, each of whom is staying for five days in Pietermaritzburg, plus an average three days visiting sights in the region, and spending an average of R1200 on accommodation, food , travel and entertainment per day, results in a R21,1 million inflow into the local economy.

Over the four days of the competition, event organisers anticipate a direct spend of over R3 million at the event and on related goods and merchandise, bringing the direct spend attributable to the event of around R25 million.

However marketing experts say the real value to Pietermaritzburg could well be four times that amount, as the impact of the city being screened live on 28 major television networks has huge marketing and tourism value, particularly in the post World Cup euphoria.

“Don’t put away your flags just yet, because Pietermaritzburg’s World Cup is just about to start!’ enthused the cities Director of Tourism Melanie Veness.

The overwhelming majority of these BMX  riders, together with the hundreds of local riders who will be travelling from all corners of the country to Pietermaritzburg for the event, will be staying at local Bed and Breakfast establishments, most of which are fully booked.

“The B&B’s on our lists are reporting super bookings and are smiling properly,” the head of the Local Organising Committee and Event Director, Alec Lenferna points out.
 
“One hotel in the Dargle area, has 157 Zimbabweans booked in. EKZN Wildlife Chalets at Midmar will be home to the New Zealand contingent. Two B&B’s in lower Old Howick Road near the showgrounds are ‘chokka-block,’ ” added Lenferna.

It has been confirmed, for example that 11 riders are coming from Colombia and 17 from Ecuador alone, so it can be expected to hear some Spanish spoken in Pietermaritzburg by month end.
 
“The established events like Comrades Marathon, Midmar Mile and Hansa Dusi Canoe Marathon certainly have benefited the region economically, and if there is good sustainability around BMX, then let’s be optimistic the economic benefit can in years to come, be spread wider,” said Veness.

“It’s great, then, that this is an Olympic discipline and the UCI Champs are an Olympic qualifier”, she added. 
Parking will be easy and safe at Voortrekker High School directly across the road. Food, and refreshments will be on sale around the track in a high-entertainment factor, DJ-driven, music and BMX based environment.

The UCI BMX World Championships takes place at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg from 29 July to 1 August. More information can be found at www.bmxworldchampspmb.co.za

ENDS

Gameplan Media

Dave Macleod/
Gameplan Media