Multi-million rand showcase for city
The Tshwane Open golf tournament takes place next month and is once again expected to not only showcase the city and its surrounds as a tourist destination of choice but also to contribute millions to the city’s revenue.
Stephané Bothma
The hugely popular and successful Tshwane Open is expected to bring in even more revenue for the metro this year. The tournament annually fills the coffers of the Tshwane metro to the tune of almost R40 million in direct spend and R55 million in economic spin-offs.
Statistics show that the positive impact of the tournament, with international credentials, has been growing each year since the metro’s bold decision to host the multi-million rand event in 2012.
“In just three short years, the Tshwane Open has built a global reputation for itself, leading to the renewed commitment from the metro to host the tournament for a further three years,” Tshwane mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa said.
The tournament with prize money of R18.5 million attracts 156 top local and international golfers to Pretoria. Initially it had been met with great scepticism, but organisers have proven detractors wrong.
The Tshwane Open will again be held at the historic Pretoria country club in Waterkloof from 11 to 14 February. This year, other activities, including a night market have been included to realise the tournament slogan ‘more than just golf’.
“Over the past three years the impact of hosting the tournament has been significant and has played a role in placing Tshwane on the world map,” Ramokgopa said.
Last year, the Tshwane Open generated media exposure which reached more than 430 million households, an independent evaluation company, Repucom found.
“This means that the 2015 Tshwane Open received R122 million in media coverage and the metro and its brand a further R13 million,”
The event also brought in millions in revenue as golfers, their families and fans booked into local accommodation, ate at local restaurants and enjoyed local entertainment.
And research by Grant Thornton found that last year the total economic impact of the tournament was about R55.2 million to the metro and R99 million to the country. Direct spend – mostly by players and VIPs – was R39 million in Tshwane and R44.8 million in South Africa.
“Over the three years, the Tshwane Open has added R213.7 million to the metro’s gross domestic product (GDP), R388,7 million to the national GDP, and R18.3 million to local contractors and suppliers,” the mayor said.
“From the start of the Tshwane Open our aim was to not only showcase our city to a greater international audience and promote our tourism potential but also to be a source of inspiration to the youth of this city,” Ramokgopa said at the media launch of the tournament on Tuesday.
According to Selwyn Nathan, executive director of the Sunshine Tour, the Open was a perfect model for the value a professional golf tournament could bring to a city and its tourism objectives.
The Tshwane Open is the final European Tour event in South Africa this summer and one of the richest on the Sunshine Tour.
The tournament will be at the Pretoria country club for the second consecutive year.
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