The City of Cape Town is gearing up to welcome thousands of visitors for the South African leg of the HSBC Rugby Sevens World Series, which will take place from December 9-10.

The event is expected to feed millions of rands into Cape Town’s economy, as well as create jobs.

Last year the city received R434 million (€27 million) as a result of the tournament, and 1 400 direct jobs were created.

The City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille said last year’s event had over 115 000 people in attendance.

 “The increased spending at our attractions and across the hospitality industry are all a welcome injection into the local economy,” she said

Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, commented that the staging of large events had become a feature of the Cape Town economy, promoting employment and business activities.

 “Visitors come to the city for major events, spending on flights, accommodation, food, car hire and other transport.  In addition to spend, many visitors stay on in the city after the event, often booking tours and purchasing arts and crafts,” he said.

 Cape Town’s economy is receiving a major boost as of late, with the upcoming rugby tournament and the Cape Town leg of the Volvo Ocean Race which is currently taking place. According to Duminy, the Ocean Race is expected to contribute R500 million (€31 million) and 35 000 bed nights to the city’s economy.

“These two events can run concurrently without disruption to the city,” concluded Duminy.

Collin Thaver, Managing Director at Southern Africa 360 said: “It is yet another endorsement of what the city has to offer and that it is a world-class tourist and sporting destination.”

Regarding the current water situation, Thaver commented: “With over 100 000 people expected in and around Cape Town Stadium this weekend, the city has put measures into place to ensure that no water is wasted during the event. The public have been informed that there will be visible signs illustrating detailed water saving techniques, especially in bathrooms and public areas.”

He mentioned that airlines coming into the city have been making announcements prior to landing, road traffic billboards have ongoing messages and hotels have taken steps to advise guests on what they can do.

Rugby fans are urged to make use of the MyCiTi event shuttle, which will depart from the Civic Centre bus station and the Thibault bus station. This service will be free to event ticket holders.

The City of Cape Town has advised that there will be temporary road closures ahead of the tournament, around the stadium to accommodate the thousands of spectators. For more information on transport plans, click here.