Cultivaria offers multi-million boost
2009-09-17
THE annual Cultivaria arts festival presented in Paarl by FNB and Drakenstein Municipality is once again set to smash records, while making a significant social and economic investment into the local community. The fourth edition of this popular festival is expected to deliver a financial boost of approximately R10 million to the local economy, while simultaneously contributing to job creation and skills development in the broader region. Within four years of its inception, the festival can officially boast the highest average occupancy figures of any festival in the country with an average of 81% occupancy over all productions last year. The 2008 festival showed impressive year-on-year increases with a 17,3% increase in daily ticket sales, 19% increase in visitors to the Heinz Food Emporium and a 67% escalation in visitors to the Liqui-Fruit children’s theatre. Festival organisers continue to place a strong focus on skills development and continued education through its fundraising campaign for a bursary fund for local scholars. Organisers have been committed to investing in local communities in an effort to promote the tourism and hospitality industries that have been the lifeblood of the region in recent years. In 2008, the first recipient of the Cultivaria scholarship bursary for post-matric education in the hospitality, tourism and wine sectors was announced. In terms of job creation, Cultivaria annually identifies a group of previously unemployed individuals to man the Nashua Call Centre prior to and during the festival. These individuals receive intensive tele-marketing training and operate as information officers, while handling all ticket sales and reservations during the festival when thousands of visitors descend on Paarl. In the past, more than 98% of the call centre staff was permanently employed after the festival due to the training and experience they gained during the festival. All the ushers and venue co-ordinators are also recruited locally. Nashua has been involved in the sponsorship of the Call Centre since the start of the Cultivaria festival. ADT Security Paarl is the official security supplier to the Call Centre and the Cultivaria offices during the festival. The Drakenstein Municipality is the only local municipality in the country to support an event of this nature. The municipality has been a committed sponsor for the past four years and underwrites the festival by providing support in key areas such as traffic control, law enforcement, refuse removal as well as basic amenities like water and electricity. According to festival director Gerhard Meyer, the festival provides a wealth of opportunity for local residents and businesses.
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