Ban on SA sporting bids: SA losing out economically, says expert
Hosting international sporting events helps build a brand that could be worth millions of rands through tourism.
The North West University's Melville Saayman says there are also benefits like job creation through infrastructure development.
Saaymaan's been reacting to the decision by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula to ban the country's rugby, cricket, netball and athletics bodies from bidding to host major sporting events due to a lack of transformation.
Saaymaan says international tourists are attracted to the country, spending their money on locally produced products and services.
"A normal sized international competition or event that takes place in South Africa can generate between R200-million and R300-million. So we lose out from an economic point of view.
"The other issue is from a marketing point of view - we are losing out on the knock-on effects of the event from people who visit South Africa, they go back and they sell the country by means of word of mouth," he said.
(File photo: Gallo Images)