Alan Winde, MEC of Economic Opportunities, welcomes the delegates of the 2015 investing in African Mining Indaba to the Western Cape.
The Mining Indaba starts tomorrow, 9 February 2015 and runs until Thursday. It takes place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. MEC Winde said 7 000 delegates from 110 countries were in the province for the event.
“The Mining Indaba brings the most influential leaders in the continent’s mining sector to the province. This event is an important economic driver for the Western Cape. Since 2006, the Mining Indaba has generated R522 million for the local economy. Our accommodation establishments have sold 20 000 room nights over this period. Most importantly, it has created 4 500 direct and indirect jobs,” said MEC Winde.
MEC Winde said conferences such as the Mining Indaba further cemented the Western Cape’s reputation as a leading business tourism destination. In the last financial year, Wesgro, the Western Cape’s trade, investment and tourism destination promotion agency, secured conference bids worth R347 million, which drew 27 580 delegates to our province.
“In this year we aim to attract 34 000 conference delegates and bids valued at R360 million. Business tourism is very lucrative as business travellers have a higher spend than leisure tourists, which in turn adds extra jobs in our tourism sector. The growth of business travel complements our efforts to counter seasonality. As we broaden our offering, the Western Cape is becoming an all-year round destination,” said MEC Winde.
Enquiries:
Bronwynne Jooste, Spokesperson for Economic Opportunities
Cell: 060 970 4301
Tel: 021 483 3550
E-mail: bronwynne.jooste@westerncape.gov.za
Twitter: @bronwynnejooste
