Marathon boosts local development in Barberton

The newly appointed MEC for finance, economic development and tourism, Mpumi Hlophe, lauded the first Barberton-Makhonjwa Mountain 4-in-1 Marathon as an economic booster for the area.
The marathon which was recently hosted by Bellas Athletics Club saw many tourists from all over the province and neighbouring countries flocking the town.
Hlophe said that although this marathon was held for the first time, it was a great success, because it promoted local tourism and provided locals with a means of making money.
“This is just one of several upcoming events that will provide the residents of Barberton with business opportunities. The event that brought the Southern African Development Community countries together in one town, has been quite beneficial for the accommodation businesses, bars and eateries.

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“As motorists have been filling up their tanks, certain businesses like petrol stations also received a piece of the action. The guest houses are fully booked, and this is just a step in reviving the tourism sector.”
She said people had the opportunity to enjoy the World Heritage Site, the Makhonjwa Mountains.
“This marathon gave people a glimpse of what they can see or experience in Barberton. This will be an encouragement for people to visit this area, not only on marathon events, but also on their vacations.”

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The acting CEO of the Mpumalanga and Tourism Parks Agency, Mduduzi Vilakazi, said they are aiming to host the marathon annually, as it yielded great economic results for the town.
“The race had 600 participants and they all supported our course of reigniting the tourism sector. Together with all the organisers of the event, we allowed local businesses to come and run their stalls in order to make money.

Our activation were about encouraging people to use this opportunity to make a profit through selling.

Our three-year plan is to host 2 500 people in these marathons, meaning we also need to have new plans on new developments around this town to be able to accommodate many tourists. We are planning on growing numbers for the next marathon and we will succeed in that, as we managed to organise a whole 4-in-1 marathon in a period of three and a half months.”