NEWS RELEASE
17 January 2002
CITY COMES UP TRUMPS IN VOLVO OCEAN RACE SURVEY
Visitors who came for the recent Cape Town stopover in the Volvo Ocean Race love
the city and almost all the international visitors intend to return.
This is the encouraging message to emerge from interviews with 203 race
spectators, of whom 109 were South African and 94 were international visitors.
Councillor Kent Morkel, Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Tourism
and Property Management, commented that major events like the Volvo Ocean Race
helped to put the city on the international map as a preferred
destination.
"They attract large numbers of visitors and a great deal of publicity in
the media - but most importantly many of the visitors want to return after the
first taste of the city," he said. "The ongoing economic spin-offs for
all our communities are considerable."
He said the City of Cape Town had developed the "Cape of Great Events"
strategy to market the city nationally and internationally as a prime
destination for events.
Independent research found that 92% of the international visitors for the Volvo
Ocean Race planned to return. Also, 97% of the international visitors and 67% of
South African visitors said they would recommend Cape Town as a holiday
destination.
Almost all (95%) of the foreign visitors said the Volvo Ocean Race experience
had enhanced their visit to the city.
The average stay in Cape Town was 10 days, and the estimated average cost of the
international visitors' trip was R18 250. Accommodation averaged out at R485 per
person per night and the average daily spend on food, drinks and shopping was R1
150. The total estimated economic impact from the Volvo Ocean Race was R30
million based on some 520 bed nights .
The Volvo Ocean Race is one of eight major events to be given the official
"Cape of Great Events" stamp of endorsement.
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