No place better but under the Boardwalk

PERFECTLY located between Bay and beach, The Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World is the centrally located playground of all beachfront frequenters – with a diverse array of family fun entertainment, shopping and dining, The Boardwalk presents the perfect getaway for families looking to enjoy a relaxed and fun filled holiday.

“A place where flirting with lady luck is par for the course, The Boardwalk has rooted itself in Nelson Mandela Bay as a destination for elegance and entertainment,” believes Mandlakazi Skefile, Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) chief executive.

 “Nelson Mandela Bay is one of the most popular family-oriented destinations in South Africa. The Boardwalk entertainment complex is at the very heartbeat of who we are as a city because it provides an assortment of family friendly activities in one complex. The fact that it was voted by the city residents as one of the top-ten city icons emphasizes this fact.”

Balanced between sea and suburb, it is the site of seamless integration of amusement with the perks and pleasures of a city. The Boardwalk has it all – excellence in shopping, a palette of possibilities in eateries, the ambiance of an incredible amphitheatre and of course the big lights and bling of the casino.

The already impressive centre is undergoing a massive R1-billion construction upgrade which will see a conference centre, 5-star hotel and spa erected by the end of 2012 – making it the biggest entertainment complex in the Eastern Cape.

“The Boardwalk has put our city in a new league when it comes to the meetings, conferences and in general, the business tourism industry, and will do even more once the upgrade is complete,” said NMBT marketing manager, Titus Chuene.

Chuene believes it is more than just a commodity for the business world: “The city’s people chose the Boardwalk as an icon, I trust, because it offers a complete family experience and even more.”

It straddles the Hobie beach and remains abuzz all year round lending its delightful ambiance to countless guests, who stream in from around the world.

The complex is built around a series of man-made lakes and picturesque gardens. It also has signature restaurants and specialist shops, a craft workshop as well as movie cinemas. A modern video and games arcade offers a wide variety of machines from children’s rides to simulators and 4-D games for the young at heart.

The Boardwalk has become synonymous with key events on the Nelson Mandela Bay calendar – participating in, sponsoring and promoting events that have become significant tourism attractors to the city in their own right.  Some of which include the only full Ironman triathlon on the African continent, the increasingly popular Boardwalk birthday festival month in October, the municipality’s Summer Season over Christmas, and the annual Splash Festival in April.

“Some of the largest tourism events in Africa, such as Meetings Africa and Indaba have shown much increased interest in The Boardwalk over the years. As one of our top ten icons, it has much to offer to the tourism industry and is of great value to our city, both in business and leisure,” Chuene added.

All this set against a backdrop of sun, sea and surf equates to an ideal compact of business and pleasure in one wow package.