Durban is the place to be this July as VDJ makes a splash

DURBAN’S tourism businesses are already bracing themselves for the city’s single biggest weekend of the year as tens of thousands of racing fans and socialites converge on the city for the 120th running of the Vodacom Durban July, triggering an economic boom that will top R450 million.

Phillip Sithole, Durban Tourism’s head of Business Support, Tourism and Markets pointed out that the annual raceday creates 940 temporary or long term jobs and has tills ringing across the city, from hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, to restaurants and pubs, as well as the transport and entertainment sectors, contributing more than R370 million in direct spend in the city on the weekend of the Vodacom Durban July. In addition, betting alone accounts for more than R100 million on the day.

Last year visitors from Gauteng outnumbered the local fans at Africa’s greatest horseracing event, bringing with them the increasing spend on travel, tourism and hospitality in the region.

Sithole said sport tourism is one of the fastest growing areas of the global travel and tourism industry, linking the hospitality, leisure, sport and tourism networks, which spotlight the interplay between these markets and the economies of the driving cities.

“The Vodacom Durban July promotes Durban and KwaZulu-Natal as a premier event destination not only in South Africa, but globally as well,” said

Sithole.

“The Vodacom Durban July has been one of South Africa’s most revered sporting events. It’s a highlight for South Africans and overseas visitors, who flock to the Greyville Racecourse to witness what has become known as Africa’s Greatest Horse Racing Event.

“It is so much more than sport – it is also a glamorous social get together and fashion spectacle,” he added.

With fashion the order of the day as much as horse racing, ten talented finalists from the Durban Fashion Fair will vie for the fashion title in the Vodacom Durban July Fashion Challenge finale on race day. The eventual winner will walk away with an array of prizes including a trip to New York fashion Week flying courtesy of Delta Airlines, R5 000 from both Gold Circle and Schweppes, a Huawei P9 Smartphone from Vodacom and much more. Second and third prize winners will win R3000 and R2000 respectively.

Ten talented student designers were handpicked from 25 strong entries to proceed to the final round of the Vodacom Durban July Young Designer Award

presented by Durban Fashion Fair, a prestigious fashion competition that offers aspiring KwaZulu-Natal fashion students an invaluable opportunity in advancing

their fashion career.The 2016 Vodacom Durban July takes place at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday 2 July. Visit www.vodacomdurbanjuly.co.za for more information.