CAPE TOWN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The city of Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, hosted more than 1,200 events in 2023, which contributed nearly 4 billion rand (about 214 million U.S. dollars) to its economy, the city government said on Thursday.
From hosting Africa's first Netball World Cup, ICC (International Cricket Council) Women's T20 World Cup, the first Formula E race in Sub-Saharan Africa, the return of Minstrel Street Parade and many more, "2023 has been a prolific year for events in Cape Town," the city government said in a statement on its official website.
Cape Town granted more than 1,200 event permits and provided support to more than 170 events last year, including major international sporting events, top tier music concerts, cultural masterpieces and an abundance of lifestyle events.
Research studies on three key events hosted in the city during this period revealed a substantial 2 billion rand economic impact, including direct and indirect economic impact, and destination marketing among others, said the statement.
"A further 1.9 billion rand in economic activity was generated by just 20 of the events hosted in the calendar year. This is the actual direct spend by event attendees, participants and event organizers in Cape Town," it said.
Over 1.3 million people attended or participated in the top 40 events in 2023, and the top 20 events created over 26,000 job opportunities in such fields like security, catering, logistics and transportation.
"The importance of these economic spin-offs from events cannot be overstated. We have seen over the last couple of years how events can become catalysts for growth for other sectors in the value chain, including accommodation and food, travel, local retail and tourism attractions here in Cape Town," the city's Mayoral Committee member for safety and security, Alderman JP Smith, said in the statement.
Hosting local and international events has helped tremendously in promoting Cape Town as a premier tourism destination to a global audience, he added.
According to the statement, Cape Town is planning to keep the momentum for events in the new calendar year, with this year's Minstrel Street Parade on Jan. 2, the Cape Town Carnival, Africa Travel Week, Comic Con Cape Town and a much-anticipated rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand.
