R87m and counting as Ironman turns Nelson Mandela Bay into a carb-fuelled spending spree

The stage is set, the streets have been swept, the beds are made and the pasta is cooked.

Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounds are ready for one of the biggest annual sporting events to hit local shores and pump much-needed funds into the economy.

The Ironman African Championship is back for its 21st edition, and some of the world’s leading endurance athletes have arrived to swim, bike and run around the Friendly City.

“For over two decades, Nelson Mandela Bay has proudly hosted one of the most celebrated endurance events on the African continent, a race that has earned the trust of athletes from around the world and continues to set the standard for excellence,” the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said in a statement.

In 2025, the championship attracted nearly 1,000 registered athletes and more than 2,000 visitors from countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Russia.

The event generated about R87.9-million in direct economic spend, with visitors staying an average of four nights and contributing to more than 35,000 overnight stays.

Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe says the metro is ready to build on that momentum.

While businesses close to the race village in Hobie Beach also said they were ready to form part of the experience, experts in the hospitality industry believe the sporting event boosts the economy far beyond Gqeberha’s beachfront and race weekend.

Ward 2 councillor Sean Tappan said the city had put its best foot forward, cleaning up the streets, setting up a joint operations centre (JOC) to bolster security, and even quickly attending to a sewage leak to avoid any major setbacks for the global event.

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“Ironman brings substantial investment into our city every year and we are grateful to the organisers and sponsors for once again entrusting this event to us…”

He said teams of street sweepers had been operating around the beachfront over the past few days, and quick work had to be done to resolve a sewage leak near Pollok Beach earlier this week, due to a power failure at a nearby pump station.

“Security officials, along with the police, have established a JOC to ensure athlete safety along the route, and security in and around the race village is also a top priority,” Tappan said.

Police spokesperson Captain André Beetge confirmed that the police had deployed resources for the event.

“SAPS will be deployed along all strategic routes as well as at the main event area. We will also be assisted by all other law enforcement agencies, including the metro police and private security firms,” Beetge said.

Retail centres and restaurants in and around the beachfront have also been smiling as athletes, their families and support crews have been trickling into the city since early April.

Co-owner and manager at popular beachside pub Barney’s Tavern, Craig Mittens, said the build-up to the event has been ongoing for a few days, and they will run some special promotions specifically for Ironman.

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“Being right next to the race village, we are ideally situated to become part of the event. Supporters can sit in our shop and watch the action outside, and we will be live-streaming the race channel on our big screens.

“For athletes looking to load up on carbs before race day, we will be running a pasta special, and when they want to unwind after the event, we will have plenty of ice-cold beer waiting for them.”

While he did not have precise figures available, Mittens said there had been a clear influx of international visitors over the past two weeks, and foreign clientele would likely still be around for a week after the race.

Glenn Pappin, regional representative of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa), says no other city is better suited to host Ironman, and he views the event as critical for accommodation establishments across Nelson Mandela Bay.

“It’s not just Gqeberha or the beachfront benefiting from Ironman, but the broader metro, province and even the country.

“From Gqeberha, many athletes leave to visit game farms, the Garden Route and even wine estates in the Western Cape. International visitors need to fly from here to Cape Town or Johannesburg, maybe spend a night or two there as well. The economic impact stretches much wider.”

Taking this into consideration, Pappin said the projected R70-million income he had heard that the city made from Ironman was a “very conservative estimate” and he believed the number was significantly higher.

He said certain categories within the accommodation industry gained more than others due to the specialised nature of the guests.

“We’ve seen a clear shift towards Airbnbs and self-catering accommodation as Ironman athletes have very specific accommodation and dietary requirements. They don’t necessarily book hotels that include meals, as it does not adhere to their strict diets.

“For that reason, many of the larger accommodation providers are not fully booked, but that does not necessarily mean a smaller turnout than in the past,” Pappin said. DM