Johannesburg – With home being the safest place to be during the third wave of the Covid pandemic, where better to watch thundering hooves fly past the finishing post in the 2021 Vodacom Durban July than on the big screen in the comfort of your lounge.
The greatest horseracing, fashion and entertainment extravaganza on the African continent will go ahead with another second virtual experience this year.
Traditionally a tourism money-spinner that brings thousands of visitors into Durban, with Covid lockdown restrictions in place, all eyes will still be focused on Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse beamed live on televisions across the globe on Saturday 3 July.
Only essential services personnel such as trainers, jockeys, grooms and racecourse staff will be on duty on race day to ensure each race meeting can proceed.
While there will be no “tent town craze” this year, thousands of thrill-seeking fans will cheer and celebrate with champagne and canapes at home when the day’s races are run “behind closed doors”.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Ravi Pillay, said: “We want to continue keeping KZN top-of-mind and ensure that our holidaymakers and patrons do not forget about KZN and the kind of memories they experience when they visit the province.
“At some point, the pandemic is going to be over. The tourism sector has worked hard to ensure that world-class safety measures are in place and once a majority of the population is vaccinated, the tourism sector and events such as the VDJ will return to life.
“Events of this kind are still an excellent platform for promoting KZN and with its’ media reach, we can still showcase all that KZN has to offer as a wonderful tourist destination.
“Over the years, the VDJ event has brought nearly 45 000 patrons to Durban and KZN with over R300M in economic impact.
“It is also a great platform for youth in the fashion industry to showcase their talent to the rest of the country,” he said.
Tourism KZN invites all VDJ fans and punters to watch the big race day on television with the same enthusiasm and passion as if they were along the racetrack.
“It is important to bear in mind that the country is slowly going back to normal. Government has a vaccination rollout plan in place and we will rebuild the tourism sector and the economy of KZN back to its former glory spot.
“We want to save lives and get back to rebuilding KZN again,” Pillay said, adding the hype around the VDJ – with or without spectators – will go a long way in assisting businesses to recover by creating an atmosphere of fun and excitement.
Owing to the multi-medium content of the major event, KZN scores over R70 million worth of PR/Destination coverage.
Raced fans are encouraged to post and share their best memories of their previous VDJ experiences on Tourism KZN’s MY KZN Facebook page.
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