Durban - The eThekwini Municipality has signed a R12.7-million tourism sponsorship deal with the Sharks rugby franchise that is set to “take Durban to the world”.
The three-year contract, which will see the Durban branding beamed into homes across the globe whenever the Sharks play, was formalised amid much fanfare in the presidential suite of King’s Park Stadium las week.
The city’s executive committee gave Durban Tourism the nod last October to forge ahead with the deal.
The Durban logo will be used on the Sharks jersey and shorts, sharing the Sharks mascot, Sharkie, stadium branding and exclusive media rights across platforms.
Deputy city mayor, Nomvuzo Shabalala and chairwoman of the city’s economic development committee, said the partnership, while it may be viewed in some quarters as a waste of money, was important if the city was to market itself to a global audience.
“The Sharks brand will provide us with a global stage to showcase Durban… We want to increase visitors to Durban and promote the city as a multicultural city,” Shabalala said.
She said the city had set itself a target of increasing tourism from 3.8 million visitors a year to 5 million a year within seven years.
“Through the Sharks, we want to take Durban to the world and bring the world to Durban,” she said.
Sharks chief executive, John Smit, said the Sharks and Durban had always been interlinked and the sponsorship deal was merely a “formalisation of the partnership”.
“We want to be the best possible ambassadors for the city.”
The Sharks have 443 000 likes on Facebook and 87 000 followers on Twitter and 60 percent of its supporters live outside of Durban.
Head of Durban Tourism, Phillip Sithole, said the partnership would allow Durban to market itself to its key tourism markets including the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
In a statement, mayor James Nxumalo said the public-private partnership with the Sharks was a momentous occasion for the city.
“The city leadership understands the importance of the high level co-operation in the promotion, support and leverage of the sports tourism industry, which is a growing global industry with significant economic implications on the destination. This partnership augurs well with the city’s plan of positioning Durban as top sporting destination,” Nxumalo said.
According to the city, the partnership incorporates R5m worth of SuperSport coverage, three-minute slots on Shark Bite TV and exposure on the Sharks website and in Sharks Magazine.
Daily News