Drawing athletes from around the world to Nelson Mandela Bay each year, the Ironman African Championship has become a powerful economic engine for the region, injecting millions of rand into the local economy.
Thousands of supporters also provide a significant boost to hotels, B&Bs, restaurants and tourism.
The race returns to Nelson Mandela Bay this weekend, with an exciting professional lineup vying for honours on April 19.
Professional athletes will be competing for a share of the $150,000 (about R2.5m) event prize purse, one of four slots per gender for the 2026 Ironman World Championship and the title of Ironman African Champion.
Mayor Babalwa Lobishe said the 2025 edition drew more than 2,000 visitors linked to 990 registered athletes, with participants travelling from countries including the UK, Germany, the US and Russia.
The event generated about R87.9m in direct economic spend within Nelson Mandela Bay, with visitors staying an average of four nights.
She said this provided a substantial boost to key sectors such as accommodation, hospitality, transport and local businesses.
“Though the growth we have seen is not surprising, it is encouraging.
“It shows that our strategic efforts are consistently yielding positive momentum.
“As a city, we will continue to leverage and invest in such events while improving our tourism offerings.
“Beyond the economic impact, the event continues to create meaningful opportunities for community involvement and job creation.
“More than 1,300 volunteers participated in the 2025 event, including local schools, sports clubs and community organisations, contributing to skills development and community upliftment.
“The event also delivered significant global exposure for Nelson Mandela Bay, with the race broadcast live to international audiences and generating strong digital engagement across social media platforms.
“The municipality remains committed to building on this success as it prepares for upcoming editions of the Ironman African Championship, ensuring that the event continues to deliver lasting economic, social and tourism benefits for Nelson Mandela Bay and its residents.”
Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen said the event delivered significant economic and tourism benefits, attracting a strong influx of international and domestic visitors.
She said this surge drove hotel and guesthouse occupancy, boosted restaurants and retail, and created valuable opportunities for local SMMEs and service providers.
“The global media exposure further strengthens Nelson Mandela Bay’s tourism potential with its moderate climate and unspoilt beaches as a prime destination for visitors, with benefits that extend well beyond race day.
“As we build on a track record of successfully hosting Ironman events for over two decades, it remains critical that the metro prioritises safety and security, street lighting, general cleanliness, maintenance of ablution facilities, and condition of roads, barriers and signage.
“These factors are important in ensuring the event is a success and also in retaining the Ironman event for the future.
“A well-executed, safe and vibrant Ironman in the Bay will not only reinforce investor and visitor confidence but also has the potential to contribute to the revival of our tourism industry.”
Discover Mandela Bay project manager Shaun van Eck said more tourists coming to the city gave people an incentive to create more experiences, and Ironman contributed towards that.
Discover Mandela Bay is the official tourism brand, website, and app for Nelson Mandela Bay.
“I think the important thing that sport tourism does to a certain extent, conferences as well, but especially sport tourism, it achieves some things that normal visiting people would not.
“A lot of the people that come for an event might have never thought of coming to Nelson Mandela Bay, so by extension, their family as well, so it is a wonderful opportunity to introduce first-timers to our city as a holiday destination.”
The race also attracted media coverage, with Van Eck saying the Bay often had very little opportunity to get such coverage from around the world.
He said that in an era where social media had become one of the most powerful tools for attracting visitors, people considering a new destination increasingly relied on online recommendations when deciding where to travel.
“It is a wonderful moment to get people making those posts on social media.
“The Ironman adds to that and has added prestige to us as a watersport destination as well.
“Triathletes, their partners, who come not just for the race but for training as well, shine our reputation as a watersport capital of Africa.”
He said tour guides and operators benefited across the tourism value chain, delivering memorable experiences to visitors, and that there was a need to actively promote what these operators had to offer as a key objective.
PE Metropolitan Bed & Breakfast Association chair Shena Wilmot said the race brought a lovely atmosphere and, generally, residents were friendly and encouraging to the athletes, which made their race extra special.
“We always love the Ironman event,” Wilmot said.
“There is a wonderful vibe and energy in the city, especially on the beachfront.
“April this year has been good.
“It is also the graduation ceremonies which bring people from all over the country.
“Historically, Ironman has always been an economic boost to businesses, especially along the beachfront.
“However, the numbers have dropped over the last few years.
“I have not experienced competitors staying longer, as they are predominantly South African.
“Foreign guests would definitely have a safari experience at one of our incredible game reserves.”
Iza Gqeberha manager Saffiyah Maseko said they were excited that the race was coming to town.
“Iza is a tourist attraction place for the views, but we do see a spike in people,” Maseko said.
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