Durban's small, medium and micro business could have benefited more from the weekend's Absa Cup final - when thousands of soccer fans from around South Africa and neighbouring countries descended on the city - and other off-season, crowd-pulling events, if they were better organised, officials have said.

Last week, the Durban International Convention Centre hosted the South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa) conference, which brought more than 900 delegates from various quarters in the multibillion-rand industry to the city.

And as the delegates of the Sapoa conference wrapped up their business at the weekend, 72 delegates from the United States flew into Durban International Airport - with more expected from elsewhere on the continent - for the African Renaissance Conference, which started yesterday.

More than R30 million was injected into Durban's hospitality industry, with soccer lovers booking themselves into hotels from Thursday.


However, leaders of organised business said the economic spin-offs were not trickling down fast enough to the SMME sector.

"The SMME sector really needs to come to the party because the city has gone out of its way to market Durban as a tourism destination," Durban Mayor Obed Mlaba said.

Durban Chamber of Commerce CEO Prof Bonke Dumisa said he was pleased that small business had cashed in, with butchers and liquor businesses in the townships being the biggest beneficiaries.

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal spokeswoman Phindile Makwakwa said: "Tourism KZN continues to assist SMMEs with the hope that they will grow and become competent players within the industry."

By Zukile Majova
http://www.themercury.co.za/