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Cape Town – The economic impact of Cape Town Fashion Week goes beyond the catwalk, SA Tourism CEO Thulani Nzima told Fin24 on Wednesday.
He was in Cape Town for fashion week and said its impact must be seen against the backdrop of including business events as part of SA's attraction for tourists.
"SA has success as leisure destination and we felt it was about time to showcase the lifestyle offerings to tourists too," he said.
"Design is about lifestyle. It is something a lot of countries are focusing on. Just look at the success of Milan, Paris and New York."
He said Cape Town Fashion week creates the opportunity to showcase a local lifestyle that goes beyond safari, Table Mountain and Robben Island.
The journalists from international high profile magazines and the buyers who attend Cape Town Fashion Week will also carry forth the image of what SA can offer tourists, according to Nzima.
On top of that hotels, restaurants, car rental agencies and many other small businesses in the Cape are benefitting from the money spent by those attending the fashion week. This leads to job creation, he said.
"I give credit to what Dr Precious Motsepe has created with Fashion Week so that SA can hold its own in fashion design," said Nzima.
"It offers an opportunity for designers who would not otherwise have been able to break into this industry. It brings long term benefits for social development and has a much broader African impact."
He is happy about the greater interest shown in the fashion weeks from the rest of Africa.
"Africa needs a common statement and Africans need to position themselves together," said Nzima.
"Africa is beginning to learn that the success of SA is the success of Africa. It is not all about poverty, but shows that we in Africa can go out there and have the best designers."
- Fin24
He was in Cape Town for fashion week and said its impact must be seen against the backdrop of including business events as part of SA's attraction for tourists.
"SA has success as leisure destination and we felt it was about time to showcase the lifestyle offerings to tourists too," he said.
"Design is about lifestyle. It is something a lot of countries are focusing on. Just look at the success of Milan, Paris and New York."
He said Cape Town Fashion week creates the opportunity to showcase a local lifestyle that goes beyond safari, Table Mountain and Robben Island.
The journalists from international high profile magazines and the buyers who attend Cape Town Fashion Week will also carry forth the image of what SA can offer tourists, according to Nzima.
On top of that hotels, restaurants, car rental agencies and many other small businesses in the Cape are benefitting from the money spent by those attending the fashion week. This leads to job creation, he said.
"I give credit to what Dr Precious Motsepe has created with Fashion Week so that SA can hold its own in fashion design," said Nzima.
"It offers an opportunity for designers who would not otherwise have been able to break into this industry. It brings long term benefits for social development and has a much broader African impact."
He is happy about the greater interest shown in the fashion weeks from the rest of Africa.
"Africa needs a common statement and Africans need to position themselves together," said Nzima.
"Africa is beginning to learn that the success of SA is the success of Africa. It is not all about poverty, but shows that we in Africa can go out there and have the best designers."
- Fin24
