TOURISM
A study done by the Rhodes University in 2013, found that The National Arts Festival contributes an estimated R90 million to the GDP of the City of Grahamstown. This is through direct and indirect spend, job creation and tourism activity.
The festival, which ends on Sunday, is the biggest annual celebration of art on the African continent.
Tuesday 7 July 2015 16:08
Jayed-leigh Paulse
The National Arts Festival is the hub of South Africa’s biggest variety of arts, crafts and performances. (SABC)
The National Arts Festival is the hub of South Africa’s biggest variety of arts, crafts and performances. The festival brings together musicians, arts lovers, revellers and critics but also contributes significantly to the GDP of the Eastern Cape economy.
CEO of the Festival, Tony Lankester says the Arts Festival is a significant driver of the economy of Grahamstown and province contributing an estimated R350-million to the economy every year.
“Every year we see the festival making a significant contribution to the economic GDP of both the city of Grahamstown and the broader Eastern Cape province. In 2013, which is the last study we did, it indicated that the festival makes a contribution of around about R90 million to the GDP of the city out of about R340 million to the GDP of the province that’s largely in the hospitality sector.It makes us very consistent with what happens elsewhere in the world with these kinds of festivals, festivals are really a vehicle for tourists, for people moving around the country staying in B’nBs, eating in restaurants, so the hospitality and tourism sector are the ones who benefit the most,” says Lankester.
The economic impact on the Eastern Cape has been profound
The recent study undertaken by J.D Snowball and G.G Antrobus from the Department of Economics and Economic History at Rhodes University, indicates that an estimate of R90-million is brought into the area during the time of the festival.
Meanwhile, young entrepreneurs are using the festival for job creation. Nobhule Khumalo, who is part of an NGO called ‘Oasis- South Africa’, sells peanut butter to put herself through school.
She says that the festival creates a platform to sell the product. “The whole project here is actually for young women to create employment and to also help young women go through school further their studies so basically Oasis is a NGO that is trying to also be a sustainable one not to always go around but be sustainable and help young children and youth go to school.”
However, various traders and business say that this year has started off rather slowly.
Since the start of the National Arts Festival nearly 40 years ago, the economic impact on the Eastern Cape has been profound. The festival remains a catalyst and platform for the Eastern Cape to showcase its rich diversity, culture, local talent and propel small businesses.
It also secures its position as a travel destination globally.