Tourism and events

SPECIAL FEATURE

Tourism and events

The Western Cape is world class in many categories.

Ten cities were nominated in 2018 for “World’s Leading Festival and Events Destination”. Listed together with Singapore, Dubai, London, Montreal, Sydney and the likes of Rio de Janeiro was Cape Town.

Cape Town also won an African award for hosting the most international association meetings, based on 34 000 international delegates attending conferences in Cape Town in a calendar year. The ranking is awarded by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

The Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau, a Wesgro unit, promotes the province as a venue and assists with bids, planning support and on-site services. Events, conferences and exhibitions help to create a year-round industry which in turn boosts employment. The Bureau helped secure 33 bids for the region in 2017/18 which had a projected impact of R453-million.

The R900-million expansion of the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC2) has given the city’s biggest venue additional volume and flexibility. The new section of the centre hosted its first conference in September 2017, the 21st Annual Congress of the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) at the same time as the CTICC was hosting another major conference.

The Cape Town Stadium, built to host matches

in the 2010 soccer World Cup, has become a multipurpose venue at the centre of the Green Point Park, a popular venue for families but also a site for film and advertising shoots.

Discovery Sport awarded the HSCB World Rugby Sevens Series event in Cape Town the “best live event” in 2016. It has become routine for tickets for this fun event to be sold out within minutes and the pictures of happy fans in a packed stadium paint a good picture of South Africa and Cape Town for global television viewers.

Some Cape Town venues

Cape Town Stadium: Several meeting and conference venues within the stadium are supplemented by the Stadium itself (with seating for 55 000), the adjacent Green Point Athletics Stadium and the Stadium Forecourt, which hosts the Bike Expo held before the Cape Town Cycle Tour. The stadium and the Green Point Park are popular venues with film producers and advertising film crews. Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC): The largest convention centre in Cape Town is a large part of the reason for the city’s prominence in the conference and events sector. Offering tremendous flexibility and range for conference and exhibition organisers, the CTICC includes in its portfolio 11 200m² of column-free space for expos and an auditorium with an orchestra pit that can seat 1 500 guests. The recent expansion (CTICC 2), has added 10 000m² of conference and exhibition space and a further 3 000m² of formal and informal meeting space. PPC Newlands: One of the world’s great cricket stadiums is available for hire. Four venues of varying sizes include a recently renovated President’s Suite which could host anything from a formal dinner to a product launch. GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World: Venues range from intimate meeting rooms to the Grand Arena and other spaces that can host up to 7 000 people for large events. Century City Conference Centre: The largest of 20 venues can accommodate 1 900 people and outside events can be held in the Century City Square.

The province has a range of excellent facilities for conferences outside the metropole. George has the five-star facilities of the Fancourt Hotel and Country Club (with banqueting capacity up to 250) and the Protea Hotel King George. Destiny Africa Investments Holdings has targeted George as the next centre for meetings, incentives, conferences and expos. The historic town of Stellenbosch and the nearby wine and golf estates have good conference facilities.

Success story

Tourism has been a remarkable economic success story in the Western Cape. Premier Helen Zille’s 2018 State of the Province Address included the fact that the sector had grown 11% in the previous 12 months, adding R2-billion to the Gross Value Add of the province.

Cape Town Air Access is a partnership between Wesgro, the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government, Airports Company South Africa, Cape

Economic impact of annual events in Cape Town Event Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon Volvo Ocean Race Cape Town Cycle Tour* HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Cape Town International Jazz Festival Impact R224-million R500-million R500-million R700-million R700-million

* It is estimated that the three other big cycling events hosted by the Western Cape (the Absa Cape Epic, the Cape Rouleur and the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup) collectively contribute a further R500-million.

Town Tourism and South African Tourism, and is the focal point for international air route development in the Western Cape. Zille paid tribute to the Air Access programme in her speech and noted that the new routes added in 2018 alone would create additional direct tourism spending of R620-million.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts growth above 6% per annum for Cape Town tourism over the next 10 years. It predicts that the city’s tourism industry will increase the number of tourism-related jobs from around 160 000 in 2016 to more than 230 000 by 2026.

One of the reasons that tourists visit the Western Cape is the quality of its beaches. The province has 29 Blue Flag-accredited beaches, an international quality standard that covers 33 different measures. Ten beaches in greater Cape Town together with the likes of Santos (Mossel Bay), Grotto (Hermanus), Witsand (Hessequa) and Wilderness (Garden Route) have made the grade. A further five marinas have qualified for the programme, the local version of which is run by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa.

Several strategies are being adopted to further improve the province’s tourist offering and increase numbers. These include a service excellence programme where a town’s residents are encouraged to act as tourism ambassadors. A pilot project was successfully launched in Clanwilliam, where everyone in the town, including shop clerks and petrol station attendants, joined in.

New cycling routes have been launched as part of the Cross Cape Cycle Route which links Plettenberg Bay with Stellenbosch via a number of charming small towns. Further routes are planned to take the benefits of tourism to rural areas. Many towns and districts host annual festivals, such as the Prince Albert Olive Festival. The Leisure Marketing team at Wesgro supported 47 events in small towns in 2018.

Work is being done on improving the system of visa approvals and on linking various sites associated with the late President Nelson Mandela. Halaal tourism also holds tremendous potential.

The opening of the R500-million Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town made a big impact in 2017. With a footfall of 24-million visitors going through the Waterfront every year, the Zeitz is well located to attract good crowds. It is expected to attract global art lovers as well. The conversion of the old grain silos which created 6 000m² of gallery space was paid for by the owners of the Waterfront, Growthpoint Properties and the Public Investment Corporation.

The Waterfront has two new hotels, Radisson Red and the Silo Hotel attached to the Zeitz Museum. A significant move in the South African hotel sector is the decision by Marriott International to develop Marriott branded hotels in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The Port of Cape Town has launched its dedicated cruise-ship terminal, and the area between the terminal and the Cape Town International Convention Centre is being developed. The precinct, called the Yacht Club, includes a hotel, residential and commercial complex owned by the Amdec Group, and is linked to the Waterfront by canal.

Another major development in the works will include two Marriott hotels. In the Cape Town CBD

there are going to be 500 new rooms, courtesy of two Tsogo Sun hotels, plus a smaller hotel in the De Waterkant (Capital Mirage). Tsogo Sun already operates several hotels in greater Cape Town, including three full-service hotels in the city centre, the Cullinan, Southern Sun Waterfront and Southern Sun Cape Sun. The other seven hotels cover five brands in the Tsogo Sun stable.

Elsewhere in the Western Cape, Tsogo Sun has hotels in Caledon, Beaufort West, Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay.

Protea Hotels, now part of the Marriott Group, has 10 hotels in Cape Town and a further one each in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. There are two hotels in George.

Three of the brands of City Lodge Hotel Group are represented by seven hotels in the Western Cape, with all but one of the hotels (the George Town Lodge) being located in Cape Town.

Hilton Hotels and Resorts has three Western Cape properties, two hotels in Cape Town and the Conrad Pezula Resort & Spa on the eastern head of the Knysna Heads.

The newest global trend in tourism, Airbnb, has come to South Africa. Cape Town is the first African city to sign a collaboration agreement with Airbnb. A total of 394 000 visitors stayed in Airbnb accommodation in South Africa in 2016. Roughly 50% of the bed nights were taken up by foreigners.

Another trend that is being explored is Halaal tourism, a global market that is expected to reach $300-billion by 2026. The Western Cape has upwards of 200 mosques and a cosmopolitan lifestyle that has seen various faiths co-exist for many years.

Airports

Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) was Africa’s Leading Airport for the second year in a row in 2018. The award was presented by World Travel Awards Africa & India and earned CTIA a nomination for World’s Leading Airport.

Through partnerships such as Western Cape Air Access the airport has gained 13 new routes and 18 route expansions since 2015. CTIA has shown sustained growth in passenger numbers with a 5.3% increase year-on-year in 2017. Growth in international passengers has been in double digits for the past few years. The airport exceeded an annual arrivals figure of 10-million for the first time in December 2016, which was improved on in 2017.

A new, 3 500-metre runway will soon be built at CTIA, further increasing arrival numbers. The project involves the realignment of the airport’s primary runway, as well as the construction of parallel and rapid exit taxiways. Approval for the project was granted in 2018 by the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).

George Airport was awarded Best Airport by Region in the African category of the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards in 2018. This was for airports serving fewer than two-million passengers per year. In 2016 the airport became Africa’s first solarpowered airport.

George Airport receives about 720 000 passengers annually. Airlink, SA Express and kulula fly are the airlines that fly into George. It serves as a tourism hub for the Southern Cape region, including destinations such as Knysna, Oudtshoorn and Plettenberg Bay. CemAir offers scheduled flights to Plettenberg Bay.

The 2017 Domestic Tourism Survey (StatsSA) gave these statistics related to the Western Cape:

• More than 1.1-million overnight leisure trips • 166 000 overnight business trips • 4.1-million paid bed nights • 241 000 tourists stayed in hotels • 161 000 stayed in guesthouses/ guest farms • 157 000 tourists stayed in B&Bs • 336 000 tourists stayed in selfcatering establishments.

World first for Maritz Electrical Lighting the way to St George’s Park lighting quality is unique. new possibilities

Kurt Maritz, Managing Director Kurt Maritz

BIOGRAPHY

What sort of work did you do in the beginning?

When we started, we were two companies helping each other. Cyprian Maritz Electrical is revolutionising stadium experiences. Rosslind and I had a loose partnership. I did the marketing, he did the execution. We did some basic electrical contracting. Some of the first A massive contract to install world-class lighting at the St George’s work we did on contract, we still have that relationship going 17 years Park cricket ground in Port Elizabeth has given Cape Town-based later. It was for Technical Services of the City of Cape Town. We did the lighting company Maritz Electrical a head-start as a national leader electrical side of water and sanitation. in LED and theatrics lighting for sports stadiums. As company founder and Managing Director Kurt Maritz says, “That’s the sort of project that comes around once in a lifetime.” So you found a niche? The project was a global first because it made St George’s the first stadium to have LED lights fitted with theatrics that was also We actively started looking for things that other electrical companies compliant with International Cricket Council standards. either can’t do, don’t want to do or find really hard to do. The work The R27-million project was completed on time and on budget, despite installing lights on top of the Duckpond Pavilion at night. for the city was very difficult, but we had those skills. It was complex The response has been enthusiastic. For Kurt, the television work, which very few people specialised in. Certainly, there were no experts provided the really important feedback. “We cared about SuperSport the most and they have been raving. If there are light black companies doing that sort of work. and dark spots on the field the cameraman must remember to change the aperture. They said that the lighting was excellent.” Kurt Maritz holds a National Diploma in Accountancy and And beyond the work for the city? Maritz Electrical wants to be the “go-to” company with respect to stadium lighting installations. Contracts in Bloemfontein and Computer Practice, but is more accustomed to developWe got more and more work and in 2004 we registered the CC. We closer to home suggest this is already happening. “I am pleased to announce we are going to be doing something similar in our ing businesses, as his track continued operating two businesses and that ran on until about 10 backyard, at Coetzenburg, but not including theatrics. Stellenbosch

BIOGRAPHYrecord proves. His first job was with First National Bank. While years ago, when we very amicably parted ways. University has signed with us as part of a massive project.” Kurt Maritz holds a National How did the stadium work come about? working in sales, Kurt met an electrical supplier for whom he Western Cape projects Diploma in Accountancy and We asked, “What else is nobody else doing?” The answer was stadium went to work. His contracting section grew, and he decided to Maritz Electrical is active in large areas such as Cape Town’s Grand Parade, airport runway lighting and city council facilities. The company Computer Practise, but is and sports field lighting and maintenance. I had the privilege of workgo on his own and started Mar- operates in the commercial, industrial and public sectors and offers more accustomed to develop itz Electrical in 2000. Through his leadership skills and vision- ing on the old Green Point Stadium. Sports field lighting is now the a wide range of services. A new area for Maritz Electrical is reticulation and electrification: ing businesses, as his track re ary outlook, he now employs in - most dynamic part of the business. low-cost housing projects, street lights, road-side furniture and cord proves. His first job was with First National Bank. While So the 2010 Soccer World Cup was good for you? excess of 150 staff. The company has benefited small businesses, grown skills and given mini-substations. Says Kurt, “It is a big market and we can’t ignore it. Our new sales manager comes from this background and we are building skills in this area. We are involved in two major projects working in sales, Kurt met an Interestingly, Maritz did not do one of the FIFA stadiums! But it was lifestyle improvements to staff, their families and communities. in the Western Cape, at Overstrand and Stellenbosch.” With an expanding workload, Maritz Electrical made a move in electrical supplier for whom he still one of our busiest periods ever because FIFA created a Legacy went to work. His contracting WESTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2019 Fund to build hundreds of community sports fields, and that’s where 50 section grew, and he decided to we got involved. go on his own and started Maritz

2018 to new premises in Athlone. “We have moved 150 staff from three branches into one customised 3 000-square-metre facility. It is designed in such a way that we have enough space for 50% expansion. Half of the massive space we dry-walled so that we have a suite of offices.”

There are no specific targets, but Kurt is clearly looking forward with anticipation: “We don’t have any ceiling we want to hit. Our engine is our sales department. As much work as they bring in, that’s how we will grow.”

The staff of Maritz Electrical includes three Master Electricians and 75% of the staff complement is technical.

Learning process

For Kurt, the learning process has been exciting. “We are learning applications from our clients,” he says. “At St George’s for that exciting time when you are waiting for an umpire’s decision, we did a heartbeat with sound and the lights that go with it. We also put a ‘6’ in the lights. The umpires asked if we could keep the light level on the pitch the same and do the theatrics at the same time. The possibilities are endless. In athletics, for the 100 metres, you could kill all the lights and follow the guys down the straight.”

Maritz Electrical is the approved installer of Musco Lighting. A visit to Musco headquarters in the US made Kurt aware of how the lighting system at a stadium can create new revenue sources for clients. As Kurt comments, “If you have a light show before the game, you have better crowd control and there is an opportunity for vendors to sell memorabilia or food. The same when you leave, it creates a new revenue stream. We are learning as we move along.”

Stadium lighting falls within the broader category of large-area lighting. The global move to LED lighting has been a positive thing for Maritz Electrical. In South Africa, however, Kurt notes that there is difference between the indoor and outdoor scenarios. For indoors, “everybody is going that route” but that return on investment (ROI) is somewhat different in the outdoor setting.

“With street lighting and security lights (which burn for a long time) the ROI is good. For large areas like sewerage works or plants the ROI is something like three to five years and the power saving is there. That is not the case with sport stadiums, so the equation is different.”

FOCUS CTICC on an international bid winning streak

The CTICC has been awarded 15 international conferences, in the last six months alone. Many of these will be hosted on the African continent for the first time.

“We are extremely proud to have won these bids which are testament to the CTICC’s competitiveness as a venue and Cape Town’s attractiveness as a business event destination. These wins do not happen without the concerted effort of the CTICC team and the dedicated collaboration between internal and external stakeholders, including the Western Cape Convention Bureau and City of Cape Town,” says JulieMay Ellingson, Chief Executive Officer of the CTICC.

Here is a list of international bids awarded to the CTICC which is still to take place: • The Association of International Schools in Africa

Conference 2019 (AISA) will be held in November 2019 and attended by 300 delegates. • The International Council on Systems Engineering 2020 (INCOSE) will be held in Africa for the first time in July 2020, hosting about 800 delegates. • The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) 2022 will bring 2 000 specialists to the CTICC. • The World Congress of the International Health

Economics Association (IHEA) will be held in

Africa for the first time in July 2021, and will bring together 800 health professionals. • The Congress of the International Association of

Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) is another event taking place in Africa for the first time. 1 000 delegates will attend in June 2023. • The HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P) for 1 400 delegates is scheduled for

October 2020 and is the only global scientific conference focused exclusively on the field of biomedical HIV prevention research. • The 3rd Ministerial Conference of the Partnership for

Action on Green Economy (PAGE) will come to Cape

Town in January 2019, and will bring together 550 delegates from the United Nations’ five agencies to assist countries in achieving and monitoring the

emerging Sustainable Development Goals. • In another first for Africa, the CTICC was awarded the bid to host the World Federation of Paediatric

Intensive and Critical Care Societies (WFPICCS) where 1 500 delegates will share their expertise to improve the outcomes of children suffering from life-threatening illness and injury. • The World Self Medication Industry 2020 (WSMI) will be held for the first time on the African continent in 2020 and will bring 400 delegates. • In August 2024, the CTICC will host the General

Assembly of the International Astronomical

Union (IAU). The event, another first to be hosted in Africa, will bring together 2 500 delegates who are experts in the field of astronomy. • In 2024, the World Congress of the International

Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association (IHPBA) will be hosted at the CTICC in September and will see 2 400 delegates attending. • In 2020, the CTICC will host the Asian Racing

Conference (ARC) 2020. The event will look at, among other things, promoting and facilitating the internationalisation of racing and will bring an estimated 600 people to the CTICC. • The General Assembly of the International

Organization for Standardization (ISO) will take place in September 2019, with 800 delegates attending. ISO is an independent, nongovernmental organisation with a membership of 162 national standards bodies.

Having been awarded these prestigious international events, the CTICC has already hosted two of the 15 events that will take place at the centre. The 800-delegate International Congress of Linguistics 2018 and the 500-delegate ICAO Global Aviation Gender Summit.

The CTICC’s world-class, high-tech facilities, flexible venues and high levels of service delivery are making a growing impact on international conference organisers. Cape Town and the location within the city are strong drawcards too.