21-09-2017
Wesgro would like to congratulate the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) on their official launch this weekend.
The Zeitz MOCAA, a partnership between the V&A Waterfront and Jochen Zeitz, designed by Thomas Hetherwick, is the first major museum in Africa dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.
The museum will host a four-day public grand opening this Heritage Weekend (Friday, 22 September to Monday, 25 September). During this time, no entrance fee will be charged.
This eagerly anticipated new Cape attraction promises to solidify Cape Town's position as the continent's design capital and have a profound effect on the local tourism and knowledge economy.
The Zeitz MOCAA will also attract potential investors and buyers from across the world who will contribute to economic growth and job creation.
The evidence for this multiplier impact can be seen elsewhere around the world, and the now famous 'Bilbao Effect' demonstrates exactly how this can happen.
The Gugenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, completely changed the face of a city that was battling with a sluggish economy. The museum acted as a centerpiece for regeneration, inspiring innovation that led to growth and job creation.
Visitor spending in Bilbao jumped after the museum opened, and five years after construction, Bilbao estimated that its economic impact on the local economy was worth €168 million, pouring an additional €27 million into the regional government tax coffers – the equivalent of adding 4 415 jobs. More than one million people annually now visit the museum, which became the centre of the Bilbao Art District.
“If the interest and excitement surrounding its launch is any indication of the museum's long-term appeal, it’s well on its way to replicating similar levels of success. We are confident that the ‘Zeitz MOCAA Effect’ will be referenced in future too, as the museum contributes to growth and jobs in the city.
“Our tourism team is working closely with the travel trade to promote the Zeitz MOCAA's inclusion in their itineraries and packages in order to contribute to its financial sustainability. Wesgro in partnership with Tsogo Sun will host a VIP Trade Tour on 27 September with some of the top trade as well as a trade educational with South African Tourism USA and top trade from North America.
“We encourage South Africans to take advantage of the many opportunities to view this architectural masterpiece, and we welcome international visitors who have travelled to Cape Town to visit the museum. Please take the opportunity to visit the rest of our beautiful city and province while here. We are a region that is open for business, with an array of opportunities for trade and investment,” said Tim Harris, Wesgro CEO.