27 July 2010

KZN set to reap R500 million benefit from sporting bonanza weekend

Durban – The 2010 edition of the Vodacom Durban July looks set to ride the wave of post-soccer World Cup euphoria and once again attract a sell-out crowd to Greyville Racecourse, in the process repeating the R500 million cash injection for the regional economy as a direct result of the raceday.

Using figures generated in a thorough survey done after the 2008 Vodacom Durban July, and analysing trends and similarities between the current raceday and last year’s event, regional tourism bosses are bullish that the 2010 Vodacom Durban July will match if not exceed the successes of the 2009 event.

“Bookings are right up there with the busiest Vodacom Durban Julys,” said hospitality service provider Mike Holmes of Event World. “We all know that we are still feeling the economic recession, and many private individuals and corporates overspent on the World Cup, but this event seems to be a not-negotiable part of people’s social diaries,” he added.

Conservatively using the figures generated for the 2008 event and ignoring inflation, the statistics reveal that 26% of those that attend the Vodacom Durban July fly in from outside of the province, and spend on average R8 333 on the weekend in Durban.

A further 34% of the 55 000 raceday patrons are from outside of Durban, and travel to the raceday, spending an average R1 300 on the Vodacom Durban July.

The direct personal spending on hospitality, food, drink, clothing and related services such as transport and accommodation exceeds R300 million. However the research also showed that this direct spend on the event triggered further immediate economic activity for the region’s hospitality industry that catered for the needs of raceday patrons, equalling approximately R158 million.

Add to this figure the spend on betting on the twelve race card, which most observers believe should match the record breaking betting spree experienced last year, when the 2009 Vodacom Durban July itself attracted R 32,4 million in betting spend, while the entire raceday saw R90,7 million wagered over the twelve races at totes across the country.

Combined, the Vodacom Durban July looks set to see over R500 million changing hands over the coming weekend, reinforcing the value of sport tourism, and the valuable attraction of iconic events such as the Vodacom Durban July.

“The Vodacom Durban July does much more than just attract visitors to KwaZulu-Natal for the weekend,” says Tourism KZN CEO Ndabo Khoza. “It brands Durban and the province as a slick, sophisticated and world class destination.”

“With the global reach of the Vodacom Durban July, this is where the real impact of the event lies,” he added.

The KwaZulu-Natal region will bathe in the benefits of sporting tourism as Pietermaritzburg is hosting the UCI BMX World Championships this weekend, an event that in its own right is bringing millions into the regional economy.

Analysts are also quick to point out that the real marketing value of the event is hidden in these figures, as the massive media exposure that goes with these events, and the television broadcast in particular actively endorse the region as a premier tourist destination, triggering secondary activity in the local tourist market.

The Vodacom Durban July takes place at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, 31 July 2010. More information can be found at www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za    

ENDS

Gameplan Media