As the first boats in the Volvo Ocean Race approach Cape Town to complete the first leg of race, members of the public are already flocking to the VA Waterfront to welcome them and enjoy the stop-over activities that are set to begin this weekend.
“The Volvo Ocean Race holds enormous benefits for the city. When they last visited us in 2008, the direct economic impact was close on R308 million, through visitor and organizer spend. Add to that the destination media exposure secured worldwide valued at R77m,” says Councillor Grant Pascoe, Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Marketing
The total budget for the Cape Town stop-over is R16.2 million, of which the City will contribute R1.5 million. This sponsorship will be used for investment promotion events, funding volunteers for the event, branding and other marketing costs.
The City believes that hosting an event like the Volvo Ocean Race is vital to protecting and expanding the city’s position as an international sailing hub.
Councillor Pascoe explained there were a number of amplification programmes that are already currently gaining and have possibilities of being leveraged within this Race footprint and route, including:
- World Design Capital 2014 – the next scheduled Race is in the same year as Cape Town hosting WDC2014
- Cape Town Green Goals – Planning is underway to extend the Race’s environmental initiatives beyond the Race Village to include mass participation beach clean-ups at designated beaches, in partnership with other Race partners
- Youth Development – The VOR Sailing Academy Road Show is bringing 20 small craft, 3 large craft and 18 windsurfers. In 2008, the VOR Sailing Academy was attended by 36 sailors from the Izivunguvungu Sailing School.
- Volunteer Programmes – This Race uses a large volunteer programme which taps into the volunteer system of the City’s Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department.
The City has based its decision to financially support the Cape Town stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race on its Events Policy adopted in 2008, which recognises the role that events play in promoting economic growth in a modern city.
It also states that the hosting of events should, “actively support Cape Town’s economic growth and maximize income generating opportunities, including building and supporting small businesses and creating opportunities for communities”, says Councillor Pascoe.
About the race
Starting in 1973, the Volvo Ocean Race is the world’s premier ocean race, attracting the best professional sailors, sailing the most technically advanced racing machines in the world, through the most hostile oceans on the planet. Participants in the 2011/2012 event left Alicante in Spain on 29 October 2011 for Cape Town. They will depart from Cape Town on 11 December 2011 for the next stage of the race to Abu Dhabi. The race finishes in Galway, in Ireland, mid way through next year. The race is the third most-viewed global television event, behind the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics.
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