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Eastern Cape Business 2020 edition

  • Text
  • Eastern
  • Cape
  • Mohair
  • Mandela
  • Nelson
  • Nedbank
  • Banking
  • Economic
  • African
  • Province
  • Edition
The 2020 edition of Eastern Cape Business is the 13th edition of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2006, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape’s investment and business opportunities are highlighted in this publication. One of the province’s unique economic assets, the mohair industry, is highlighted in a special feature while the occasion of the 10th birthday of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is celebrated in an article on tourism and events. Overviews are provided on the key economic sectors of the province, including the increasingly important Special Economic Zones and energy, where the Eastern Cape is leading the nation in attracting investment in wind power. The major business chambers in the province have made contributions to the journal.

SPECIAL FEATURE St

SPECIAL FEATURE St George’s Park Stadium. Image: Maritz Electrical The province’s growing events calendar is creating opportunities in the sector. Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) hosts the National Arts Festival every year. It is an 11-day extravaganza of art, music, film, lectures, craft fairs and workshops. More than 200 000 people attend the event to watch 2 000 performances in 90 venues. A study five years ago found the economic impact of the festival to be R349.9-million. Hobie Beach in Port Elizabeth is the main venue of the Standard Bank IRONMAN African Championship. Enthusiastic crowds line the route and the event boosts the local economy. The 2018 winner, Great Britain’s Lucy Charles-Barclay, defended her title in 2019 and earned a cheque for 000. Other popular events in Port Elizabeth include the Herald Cycle Tour and the Ocean Racing Series (a world championship). Hotels, lodges and casinos A new luxury hotel is being built in St Francis Bay. The 60- room St Francis Links Hotel by Mantis overlooks the dam on the golf course’s final hole and has views of the Indian Ocean and Kouga Mountains. The existing clubhouse of the St Francis Links Estate will provide facilities such as reception, restaurants and conferencing. St Francis Links EXCITING Eastern Cape experiences THE PROVINCE HAS A PHENOMENAL ARRAY OF ADVENTURE AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES · Experience numerous world-class Blue Flag beaches · Visit the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site · Big 7 game-viewing · Nelson Mandela Museum · Sardine run – annual marine spectacle · Experience authentic Xhosa culture · Ocean safaris – Nelson Mandela Bay is the bottlenose dolphin capital of the world · Bloukrans Bridge: Bungy jump the world’s highest commercial bungy · Segway through the Tsitsikamma Forest · Zipline and treetop canopy tours · Whale-watching · Township tours · Urban experiences · Karoo food · Route 67, Nelson Mandela Bay · 15 provincial nature reserves · Various beach and bush experiences · Cross the Storms River suspension bridge · Hike the Otter Trail · Explore the Wild Coast and visit the iconic Hole in the Wall in Coffee Bay · Watersport Mecca – home to world-renowned surfing spots · City tours · Slackpacking paradise · Nature and wildlife · River cruises · Historical and cultural tours EASTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2020 12

is a regular award winner as a wedding venue and for its Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. The interior of the Eastern Cape is home to several high-end private game reserves such as Mount Camdeboo, Kariega Game Reserve and Shamwari, which recently announced a R370- million refurbishment programme. Some luxury game lodges are located within national parks, such as the Gorah Elephant Camp, which is run by Hunter Hotels and forms part of the Addo Elephant National Park. Luxury brands sometimes create a chain for their customers, so visitors might stay at the boutique Summerstand hotel in Port Elizabeth, No5 By Mantis, on their way to another Mantis property, the Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve. South Africa’s large branded hotel groups have a strong presence in the Eastern Cape but there are also regionally focussed groups together with independent hotels and resorts such as East London’s Blue Lagoon Hotel and Conference Centre, located in a prime spot at the mouth of the Nahoon River. Kat Leisure Group’s offering extends from the Kennaway Hotelon East London’s beachfront to the Queens Casino and Hotel in Queenstown and properties in the mountainous interior of Katberg and Hogsback. Premier Hotels has two hotels in East London, the Mpanga Private Game Reserve and it manages the East London International Convention Centre. The Radisson Blu in Port Elizabeth offers five-star luxury overlooking Pollock Beach. Tsogo Sun has five Eastern Cape properties. In East London the four-star Southern Sun Hemingways is next to the Hemingways Casino complex and the city has one Garden Court, as does Mthatha. Port Elizabeth has a Garden Court and a SUN1, both near Humewood Beach. The Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel and Road Lodge are close to one another on Port Elizabeth’s beachfront and allow the group to cater to three distinct markets with a total of 442 rooms. East London has a Road Lodge. Sun International runs the Wild Coast Sun and the five-star Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World in Port Elizabeth, which includes conference and events facilities. ■ RICH HERITAGE and culture The Eastern Cape offers a unique cultural and heritage experience and is home to authentic Xhosa culture. The Eastern Cape is positioned as the Adventure Province and offers a wide range of adventure activities, ranging from mild to wild. The province is also home to the highest commercial bungy jump in the world, the Bloukrans Bridge. It is Africa’s biggest bridge and stands proudly 216m above the Bloukrans River. The Eastern Cape has over 800km of pristine coastline and is home to numerous Blue Flag beaches. The province is popular with international surfers and watersport enthusiasts and offers some of the best surfing spots in the world. The Wild Coast is a rustic, rugged and untouched stretch of coastline boasting amazing hiking trails, village experiences, cliffs and waterfalls. The Eastern Cape is home to the Big 7 which comprises rhino, leopard, lion, buffalo, elephant, southern right whale and great white shark. The Eastern Cape offers you four national parks: Mount Camdeboo, Zebra National Park, Garden Route National Park and Addo Elephant National Park. The province is also home to various world-class private nature reserves offering unique beach and bush experiences. The Eastern Cape is the birth and the burial place of Nobel award-winning and father of the nation, Nelson Mandela, and boasts the world-class Mandela Museum in Mthatha. The Eastern Cape is home to the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve. The nature reserve has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Baviaanskloof is just under 200km in length and is bounded by two mountain ranges. ACCESS · 3 airports (Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha) · 2 ports (Port Elizabeth and East London) · Road access – national roads (N2 and N6) 13 EASTERN CAPE BUSINESS 2020

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