Cape Carnival a tourist drawcard for the Mother City

Source: Tourism Update, 06/03/2018

The Cape Town Carnival is starting to take shape at the headquarters
in Maitland where the floats are being assembled. Photo: Liesl Venter
Taking a leaf out of Rio de Janeiro’s book, Cape Town has big
aspirations to increase its international tourist numbers with its
annual carnival.
Now in its ninth this year, this spectacular experience showcasing
Africa’s colour, creativity and diversity has seen tremendous growth,
drawing more than 50 000 people in 2017.
according to Cape Town Carnival CEO, Jay Douwes, more than 6% of
these visitors were foreign tourists.
“Our research from other international events has shown one has to
start with a solid local following. That is happening and we can now
look at really drawing the international tourist.”
According to the carnival’s Creative Director, Brad Baard, there has
been very real interest from the international market for the
event. “We have seen a steady uptake, and awareness is growing
amongst international tourists about the carnival in the Cape,” he
told Tourism Update. “International enquiries are now starting to
come in months in advance. We know the interest is there. At the same
time, though, there is a lot of potential for even more international
awareness. It is an area of massive growth potential.”
Douwes said from an economic point of view the carnival was growing
in importance. “The actual spend on the night last year was R13
million (€913 000) while the total economic activity around the
carnival came to R41 million (€2.88m).”
Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member, JP Smith, said the City had
learnt several lessons since the first carnival was hosted in 2010. A
near-disastrous event, the carnival idea was nearly scrapped, said
Smith, but with a delegation having visited Rio there was a clear
understanding of what the event could become if the City got it right.
“Since then many creative people have worked very hard to pull this
event together, while the City has remained loyal, as have the
funders on a local, provincial and national level,” he said. “When
you see the carnival in Rio and you understand what this can be, the
extent of economic impact, the number of jobs it provides to
residents in a city, the large tourist figures we are talking about,
then you realise how big this can get.”
While Cape Town still has a long road ahead before delivering an
event of that scale, he said Rio’s reputation around carnival
remained a tourist drawcard and that was what the City was aiming for.
“We therefore want to continue to add new pizazz to the carnival,
because, while it is about social coherence, about building the image
of the city, about creating jobs and creating skills people can use
for other things, it is also about building the reputation of this
city as an events destination, where people plan their holidays to be
here around the time of the carnival,” added Smith.
The event takes place on March 17 this year, and preparations ��`
with
close to 1 700 singing, dancing and instrument-playing performers
��`
are earnestly under way at the headquarters in Maitland, Cape Town.
Pulling an event of this magnitude off requires fine planning, said
Baard, an activity that starts months ahead of the actual carnival
date.
At the warehouse in Cape Town it is a hive of activity as the 19
floats are starting to take shape and the hundreds of costumes are
being sewn.
“This year’s theme, Mother City, Mother Nature, will explore what it
means to be the Mother City,” said Baard. “This will be an honouring
of the unique biodiversity of the Cape ��` one of the African
treasures
we have. It will be reflected in the floral kingdom float which will
show people the pincushion protea, the protea, the agapanthus, the
arum lilies.”
Another float will symbolise rain tanks, emphasising the importance
of rain and water to the drought-stricken Cape region; while Tsogo
Sun’s float will embody a glittery dream with girls symbolising the
importance of water.
“The theme showcases the startling beauty, diversity and resilience
of the Cape. Not only from a nature perspective but also its people,
who are resourceful and determined,” said Baard. “Mother City, Mother
Nature has been an opportunity not only to look at what makes Cape
Town unique and special, but also what kind of city we want to build.
How does this city uplift and transform those who live here and how
does it welcome and include those who visit?”