Cape Town residents are urged to get out and support events across the province so that the jobs that have been lost during the COVID-19 pandemic can be regained.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said the provincial government recognises the importance of this industry in the province, which is home to major local and international events, including business tourism events. Winde said this not only strengthens the tourism and hospitality sector, but also attracts potential business creators and investors to Western Cape shores to do business.
“From Springbok matches to theatre productions, from the Netball World Cup to community festivals, we have so much to look forward to over the next few years. Let’s now do our bit by getting out and supporting events, whenever we can, so that we remain Africa’s Events Capital,” he said.
He added that this is why through Wesgro, they have dedicated programmes to support events in the province.
- Wesgro’s leisure tourism unit supported 52 leisure tourism events in the 2021/2022 financial year, including major events such as the Cape Epic, Two Oceans Marathon, Cape Town Carnival, Cape Town Cycle Tour and the Cape Town Marathon.
- In the first quarter of this financial year, this unit has already supported 30 events to deliver economic benefit across the regions of the province.
- Also based at Wesgro, the Cape Town and the Western Cape Convention Bureau, secured 18 bids for business tourism events to the Western Cape during the 2021/22 financial year, with an estimated economic impact of R264 million. During 2022 we expect international conferences such as the 36th International Conference on Lighting Protection and the Global Self-Care World Congress, to name a few.
- During the first quarter of this financial year, the bureau has already secured 12 new bids for the Western Cape with an estimated economic impact of R97 million. A total of 21 bids for conferences in our province have also already been submitted over this same period, which would lead to an economic impact of R250 million if converted.
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