Durban is revved up and ready to go. So says MEC of Economic Development and Tourism, Michael Mabuya-khulu and mayor James Nxumalo who were at Moses Mabhida Stadium yesterday to hand over the stadium’s race track to the Top Gear Festival organisers.
“When eThekwini Municipality was awarded the right to host the Festival, as the leadership of this Municipality, we had no doubt about our capability to pull off a successful event and deliver the necessary infrastructure on time and within set requirements. And as a result of hard work and planning by our officials, I am confident to declare that Durban is ready to host the best Top Gear Festival.”
-Mayor Nxumalo
Already 45 000 of the 60 000 tickets for the festival, that will take place on June 16 and 17, have been snapped up and organisers expect the show to be a sell-out.
The organisers say the city stands to make almost R59 million from the festival.
“The hospitality and tourism industries will be the main beneficiaries of the event. It is expected that over the course of the Top Gear Festival about 25 000 out-of-town visitors will descend on Durban,”
-Mabuyakhulu.
Hosting Top Gear forms part of the city’s plans to position itself as the home of major international events.
“We have an action- packed season full of international sporting events… planned. Next week we will host the rugby match between South Africa and England and the prestigious Top Gear Festival will follow,”
-Mayor James Nxumalo.
05 June 2012 | News
