The Cape Town International Convention Centre has proven to be a powerful carrot for the local tourism industry, in attracting millions of delegates to Cape Town in its five years of operation.  Business tourists are known to extend their visits to add sight-seeing and leisure activities once they come to Cape Town, and also generate a higher spend per capita than do leisure visitors.

In the past twelve months more than half a million delegates attended conferences at the Convention Centre, and 325 banquets were hosted at the venue.    The current world economic crisis does not appear to have affected bookings, other than in a small reduction of delegates attending in the past month.

In the past year, the Convention Centre contributed R 2,7 billion to the economy of the Western Cape directly and indirectly, according to the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, reports Business Report.   This will grow to R 3,38 billion next year, and to R 5,67 billion in five years from now, it is estimated.  

The Convention Centre is a case study for a successful public/private partnership, with shares in the holding company Convenco owned by the City of Cape Town (50 %), the Western Cape province (25%) and SunWest International (25%).   This role model was unable to work for Cape Town Routes Unlimited, previously a joint venture between the City and the Province.  Now it is solely funded by the Western Cape government.

Future growth is constrained until the Convention Centre receives the go-ahead to extend onto the nearby Custom’s House site.   The planned extension would cost R 1,4 billion, and would be the “greenest” and most technologically advanced building in the city.    It will use 40 % less energy and 95% less water and create 25 % less waste than the existing building, reports the Cape Argus.  Wind turbines will be used to generate electricity whilst ventilating the parking garage, and solar energy will be generated.   It will have a grey and black water treatment facility; with rainwater recycled; a seawater cooling system; and have a planted green roof, all designed to make the building environmentally responsible.   The new building has been described as “iconic” by Rashid Toeffy, the CEO of Convenco. 

Looking ahead, the Convention Centre already has 133 bookings for the next eight years.