AFRICA 2-4 8/9/09 15:04 Page 43
Africa
Kenya classics A Roving Reader gives us the lowdown on her
favourite Kenyan properties p46; Product update Essential
information on new flights, hotels and brochures p48
Ready for kick-off?
As South Africa prepares for the 2010 World Cup, Chana Viljoen finds out how the
country is gearing up for the event, and how agents can sell this one-off experience
THE PREPARATION. to face Croatia in a bid to secure their place. safe” for tourists and visitors. “By 2010 there
“Africa’s time has come and South Africa is To date, South Africa has spent millions will be close to 190,000 police officers on
ready.” These were the words that summed on infrastructural development, including the streets,” she says.
up the country’s bid for the 2010 World Cup. building 10 state-of-the-art stadiums,
With less than a year to go, South Africa is improving public transport and airports, and BOOKING IT.
putting the final touches in place to host the beefing up safety and security. “Book as early as possible to get the best
international football showpiece. South Africa’s minister of environmen- choice of flights, hotels and match tickets,”
Fifa’s decision to rotate the World Cup tal affairs and tourism, Marthinus advises David Pearson, managing
sites by continent guaranteed that the 2010 van Schalkwyk, is confident director of BAC Sport.
event would be on African soil, and South the country will meet Fifa’s David Atkin, director of sports
Africa had a good chance of winning the bid. accommodation requirements. at ITC Sports, agrees. “With
When Fifa president Sepp Blatter made the “We have enough demand being so high, availability is
final announcement, his words were drowned accommodation in this country changing frequently,” he says. “The
out by cheers from excited supporters. and that has always been our earlier we have the requirements, the
Once the revelry was over, South Africa argument,” he says. better placed we are to inves-
had its work cut out to prepare to host the Parts of South Africa have tigate what options match
450,000 visitors expected. There is no a dangerous reputation, but the clients’ requirements.”
estimated figure available for UK travellers South Africa Tourism’s UK One of the challenges
specifically, but Fifa has already allocated manager, Lebohang Mokhesi, with early bookings is that the draw to
60,000 tickets to English supporters, and as claims that crime in South Africa determine where the participat-
TTG went to press, England were preparing is exaggerated and it is “perfectly ing teams will play does not take
11.09.2009 43
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