| Dow Jones signs SA Tourism contract - 28/07/2009 |
Dow Jones & Co, a News Corp. company, said it has signed a three-year agreement with South African Tourism to provide mainstream, Web and social media monitoring, evaluation and strategic analysis in support of the organisation’s work in promoting South Africa as a destination for international business and leisure travel, particularly as the country gears up to host the 2010 World Cup. RTT News reports that Dow Jones will provide media intelligence across South African Tourism’s 15 target markets namely South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Southern African Development Community, Australia, China, India, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, UK and USA, in eight languages.
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Full RTT News report
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| B&B owners hope to secure 2010 bookings - 27/07/2009 |
As 2010 World Cup excitement heightens with less than a year to go before the June 11, 2010 kick-off, Eastern and Southern Cape township B&Bs say they are yet to secure any bookings from the tens of thousands of fans who are expected to pour into the province. The Herald reports that many guesthouse owners are sceptical that they will enjoy any spin-off at all from the soccer extravaganza, while other township establishments said they were holding thumbs that their reservations books would still fill up. This, despite Match’s announcement that ’non-hotel accommodation’ is being contracted - for the first time in FIFA World Cup history - to supplement official hotel room stays.
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Full report in The Herald
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| Capitalising on commuters’ love for soccer - 23/07/2009 |
Thousands of South Africans are interested in soccer. That is just over 32% of the population. Of this, 32%, just over 8-million commute weekly via taxi; bus; or train. This is according to AMPS 2008B insights derived from interviews with consumers who are interested in soccer and those who have attended a live soccer game in the past year. Totally Mad reports that this love for soccer has simply been amplified by the recent excitement of the Confederations Cup and the upcoming 2010 World Cup. In order to maximise profits, companies need to take full advantage of this soccer fever and target consumers accordingly.
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Full Totally Mad report
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| SA wines set to score in 2010 - 22/07/2009 |
The focus is ’the beautiful game’, or soccer, but the South African wine industry could be a major beneficiary of the 2010 World Cup. FIN24 reports that Armin Goering has special knowledge about combining wine and soccer because as director of the German Wine Industry he successfully used the massive drawcard of the 2006 World Cup, hosted by Germany, to promote the country’s wine offerings. Goering said soccer fans from across the world would flock to the 2010 World Cup despite the credit and economic crises. The event would be a receptive audience for the marketing of South African wines, he said.
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Full FIN24 report
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| Six star limousine service for CT - 20/07/2009 |
Entrepreneurs, Mark and Alison Grinnell, launched the One&Only Limousine service in response to the lack of truly luxurious transportation available to the corporate and celebrity market in Cape Town. ’Most of the limousines available in Cape Town look tacky and unkempt – certainly not fit for the tourist, celebrity and corporate markets. If we are expecting to delight the foreign and local market during events like 2010, we had better get our act together. The idea for One&Only Limousines was born from the realisation that a very real opportunity exists to upgrade the whole industry,’ said the Grinnels. One&Only Limousines is the first true six star limousine service and features an array of stylish in-car features to make the limousine experience chic and glamorous.
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Full press release
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| SA brewers eye 2010 market – 20/07/2009 |
Local beer and wine manufacturers are hatching plans to keep the ’local is lekker’ flavour going – despite American brewer Budweiser having exclusive rights to sell its beer at stadiums during the soccer tournament. FIFA has implemented strict rules forbidding fans from bringing any other alcoholic beverages into stadiums or “exclusion zones” surrounding them during matches, which will be broadcast to up to two billion viewers worldwide. But local brewers have not taken the impending US invasion lying down, with many planning extravagant parties during the tournament to remind local slukkers and foreign visitors that their brand ’beats the newcomers’. The Herald reports that Brandhouse, which distributes Windhoek Lager, Heineken and Amstel, has earmarked ’tens of millions of rands’ for a massive brand awareness campaign in the run-up to and during the tournament in ’areas not affected by Budweiser’s deal’.
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Full report in The Herald
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| Puma focuses on Africa ahead of 2010 – 18/07/2009 |
Whilst the continent is getting ready to host the World Cup in 2010, Puma is also setting its sights on the region. With partnerships with national teams, supporting local industry, using sub-Saharan cotton and dyes, the equipment and clothing manufacturer is relying on the event to consolidate its position locally. According to a iFashion report, the German brand has therefore made it known that in the second half of 2009, 2% of its clothing lines will integrate cotton that was produced in Africa. This will include strips dedicated to the fans of eleven local nations which are sponsored by Puma.
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Full iFashion report
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| 2010 boost construction profits – 17/07/2009 |
Group Five expected solid full-year diluted earnings, it said last week. It was the latest local construction firm to issue an upbeat trading statement despite project delays and cancellations. Group Five said it forecast a 20 percent to 30 percent rise in full-year diluted headline earnings per share. According to a report on the Business Report site, local construction firms have proved more resilient in the global financial crisis than many peers overseas thanks to infrastructure development for the 2010 soccer World Cup.
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Full report on the Business Report site
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| Surge in earnings expected ahead of 2010 - 14/07/2009 |
Queensgate Hotels & Leisure expects to report sharply higher earnings per share in the next two financial years as its hospitality business recovers and gets a boost from the 2010 World Cup. Business Day reports that the group operates several hotels, largely in the Western Cape, and the One Wellness spa chain. In a detailed profit forecast, the group said it expected to report headline earnings per share of 1,63c in the year to August this year and 3,88c next year. CE Andrew Hubbard said the group had not contracted its rooms to FIFA agency Match because it believed that it would do better on its own.
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Full Business Day report
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| Word of warning for property owners - 13/07/2009 |
Property owners who believe they can make rental profits off visiting soccer fans to the 2010 World Cup may find themselves up the creek without a paddle if uninsured damage is inflicted on their properties. According to a report on the IoL site, thousands of South Africans are looking forward to a rental bonanza from soccer enthusiasts, but short-term insurance brokerage Glenrand MIB warns that uninsured losses could severely dent or even exceed any rental profits made.
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Full report on the IoL site
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| Tourism slump may prompt job losses - 13/07/2009 |
More job losses are expected in Cape Town and Durban as the hotels and events industries are hit hard by the slump in tourism, said debt counselling organisation Consumer Assist. ’Our Cape Town office is seeing increasing numbers of applications from people who work in the hotel, guest house, wine farm, conference and fishing industries that have lost work or are on short weeks,’ said the organisation’s CEO Andre Snyman. According to a report on the IoL site, Snyman said even though schools were closed for holidays in July, revenues were down at hotels and guest house as more families stayed at home. ’There have been recent warnings from tourism industry experts that prices at many South African hotels and restaurants are too high and have not taken into account the global economic downturn.’ He said it seemed many were holding prices artificially high in the hope of a 2010 World Cup.
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Full report on the IoL site
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| Lighting innovation could find export niche - 11/07/09 |
A lighting innovation developed jointly by global lighting products manufacturer Osram and Southern African public-lighting specialist Beka to illuminate the iconic arch at the Moses Mabhida stadium, which is under construction in Durban ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, could emerge as a new export product for the country.
Osram South Africa MD Grahame Boyle told Engineering News Online that the new light-emitting diode (LED) luminaire was developed specifically to meet the exacting demands of the architectural design of the new stadium.
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Full Engineering News report
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| Petrol stations must take cards - 10/07/2009 |
Petrol stations are compelled to accept cards, such as credit and debit cards, for fuel payments, the department of energy said on Thursday. ’Payment cards have historically not been allowed in South Africa because of huge costs associated with some of these cards,’ said spokesperson Bheki Khumalo. He cautioned that not all petrol stations were immediately equipped to handle card payments.. ’We are expecting an influx of foreigners for... the World Cup and we think it’ll make it easier for them not to carry around cash."’
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Full FIN24 report
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| Winemakers target 2010 fans - 09/07/09 |
On the back of still rising wine exports that continue to defy the global downturn, generic marketing body Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is planning to capitalise on the foreign interest in the 2010 World Cup by bringing out journalists to cover the tournament and visit the winelands next June. WOSA CEO Su Birch says many of the European importers are also planning to bring their own customers on incentive programmes to South Africa for the games. ’There has been enormous interest in particular from the European media in visiting South Africa for the tournament. Our intention is to ensure visiting foreign trade and media are exposed to our producers and activities in the winelands while they are here.
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Full CBN report
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| India’s Tata to roll out chain of five-star hotels across SA - 07/07/09 |
Indian group Tata is adding a chain of luxury five-star hotels to its multibillion-rand investments in South Africa. The first is due to open in Cape Town’s central business district at the beginning of December. According to Business Report, the hotel’s general manager, Michael Pownall, said Taj, which has hotels in 15 countries including the UK and the US, aimed to have ’a large footprint’ in South Africa. He said this was in readiness for the exponential growth in the country’s tourism industry, which he was confident would follow the 2010 World Cup.
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Full story in Business Report
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| Women urged to seize 2010 opportunities – 04/07/2009s |
Nosizwe Nokwe, head of the Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency, has called on women to actively take up business opportunities ahead of the 2010 World Cup, notes a report in The Sowetan. Speaking at the Sowetan Women’s Club event held at Emnotweni Arena in Nelspruit, Nokwe said opportunities in the province were ’boundless’ for women with entrepreneurial flair. ’We need to do well at hosting 2010 in Mpumalanga so that things like the International Convention Centre (a project approved this year) will be utilised for major international events – in turn creating a better economy for the province,’ she said.
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Full report in The Sowetan
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| Hoteliers rush to cash in on 2010 - 29/06/2009 |
Six hotel groups in South Africa are racing against time to complete an additional 3000 rooms to accommodate visitors for the 2010 World Cup. Towering concrete and steel structures being built by the Rezidor Hotel Group, City Lodge Hotels, Southern Sun and Protea Hotels are taking shape in several cities - from Sandton in northern Johannesburg to Cape Town’s central business district. The Times reports that the hotel groups have signed up with Match Event Services, the company selected by FIFA to provide ticketing and accommodation for the tournament. City Lodge Hotels, which has 43 hotels with 4864 rooms, currently has 10 hotels either under construction or undergoing renovations.
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Full report in The Times
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| Storm over outdoor advertising - 26/06/2009 |
A storm is brewing between outdoor advertising companies and the Cape Town city council, which is clamping down on operators of illegal billboards. Leading signage agency Independent Outdoor Media (IOM) is the latest casualty of the clamp-down. The Financial Mail reports that Out of Home Media SA (Ohmsa), an industry body that represents outdoor and billboard advertising companies, has dismissed industry claims that the move is part of the city’s preparation for the 2010 soccer World Cup. The City of Cape Town has issued IOM with court papers in which it accuses the company of erecting and operating billboards that contravene an outdoor advertising and signage bylaw.
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Full Financial Mail report
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| A business opportunity worth millions - 25/06/2009 |
More than 55 000 soccer fans are yet to book accommodation for the 2010 World Cup, notes a Property24 report. ’As we count down to the most historic event this country is likely to see since the inauguration of Nelson Mandela, we realised that the fact that 55 000 fans still have nowhere to stay presented a business opportunity worth an estimated R400m for the property market,’ said Seeff Properties chairman Samuel Seeff. He said few realised the extent of the growing accommodation crisis. ’For the first time, FIFA has had to sign up non-graded accommodation for its officials because of the shortfall of accommodation in South Africa. MATCH, which accommodates VIP’s, sponsors and the media, is 20 000 beds short for the 30-day period.’
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Full Property24 report
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| 2010 investment gives SA competitive edge - 20/06/2009 |
South Africa has moved up five places in the IMD Business School and Productivity World Competitiveness Yearbook ranking, outperforming a number of developing as well as developed countries to be ranked at 48th place, up from last year’s position of 53. According to a report on the iafrica.com site, Sello Mosai, executive manager of knowledge management and research at Productivity South Africa, said infrastructure investment is positive for any country, especially during an economic downturn. He said South Africa’s infrastructure investment for the 2010 World Cup gave it a competitive edge over India. ’We’ve seen massive developments in many areas such roads, airports and ports.’
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Full report on the iafrica.com site
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| FIFA cracks down on ambush marketing – 10/06/2009 |
Some of those hoping to make a quick buck out of next year’s soccer World Cup have fallen foul of FIFA by using its trademarks. Owen Dean, of the law firm representing FIFA in trademark litigation, said four or five cases had been brought to court and others had been settled out of court. One case, Dean said, involved retail giant Metcash, which distributed lollipops labelled ’Astor 2010 pops’. The Times reports that judgment is pending. The case was heard in the North Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, last year. Eastwoods Tavern, a Pretoria pub close to Loftus Versfeld stadium, was warned for displaying signs bearing the phrase ’World Cup 2010’. ’We sued Eastwoods Tavern because they had all sorts of signs up,’ said Dean. ’They were riding on the back of the event without being a sponsor.’
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Full report in The Times
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| Restaurants get ready for 2010 – 10/06/2009 |
From World Cup set menus to flogging curios, South African restaurants, chisa nyamas and pubs are planning to make as much money as possible during the tournament in 2010. With a year to go till the big event, establishments are already taking steps to lure tourists by planning menus of local dishes and installing big-screen TVs. The Times reports that the Restaurant Association, which represents more than 2 500 restaurants, including chains such as Spur, Mugg & Bean, Dulce, Ocean Basket and Mike’s Kitchen, is planning standard 2010 menus for all members that have a 2010 sign outside their establishments.
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Full report in The Times
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| Port Elizabeth: Stadium safety under the spotlight – 10/06/2009 |
Transport and Safety MEC Ghishma Barry met Nelson Mandela Bay security agencies and 2010 transport officials in Port Elizabeth to discuss preparations for the British and Irish Lions game as well as the Confederations Cup public viewing areas. ’I had a very fruitful session regarding the state of readiness for the match, as well as plans for the Confederations Cup and, in the long term, the 2010 World Cup,’ she said. The Herald reports that the plan includes maximum manpower deployment to ensure the general safety and crowd management at the stadium, and routes leading to the stadium and surrounding areas.
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Full report in The Herald
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| Cape Town: Zuma and Blatter to tour 2010 stadium – 09/06/2009 |
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and President Jacob Zuma are expected to tour the Green Point stadium construction site on Thursday, exactly a year ahead of the World Cup kick-off. The Cape Argus reports that the two will attend the second day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Thursday morning, before going on a walkabout through the stadium precinct with WEF delegates, Premier Helen Zille and Mayor Dan Plato in the afternoon. There, LOC CE Danny Jordaan is expected to brief them on the country’s readiness to host the world in a year.
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Full Cape Argus report
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| 2010 won’t be a tax free affair – 05/06/2009 |
As the 2010 World Cup fast approaches, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) can expect to gear up for an additional injection of revenue from the football team players. According to a Moneyweb report, for each country participating in FIFA bids, there is the requirement for the relevant taxation authorities and bodies to provide certain guarantees prior to their bids being considered. In this regard, the South African government ’pledged a full guarantee that no taxes would be levied on participants in the 2010 World Cup’. A ’tax-free bubble’ that allows for exemptions that will apply to both South African residents and non residents in respect of income tax, VAT (which will be zero-rated) and a special rebate for customs and excise duty. However, this ’bubble’ does not include team players, leaving this particular group of FIFA participants exposed to the ordinary application of South Africa’s tax system.
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Full Moneyweb report
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| WOSA looks to capitalise on 2010 WC – 05/06/2009 |
On the back of still rising wine exports that continue to defy the global downturn, generic marketing body Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is planning to capitalise on the huge foreign interest in the 2010 World Cup by bringing out journalists to cover the tournament and visit the winelands in June next year, notes a Wine.co.za report. According to WOSA CEO Su Birch, many of the European importers are also planning to bring their own customers on incentive programs to South Africa for the games. ’There has been enormous interest in particular from the European media in visiting South Africa for the tournament. Our intention is to ensure visiting foreign trade and media are exposed to our producers and activities in the winelands while they are here,’ said Birch.
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Full Wine.co.za report
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| City Lodge builds more hotels ahead of 2010 - 04/06/2009 |
Work began on the 202-room City Lodge Lynnwood in April and the hotel is expected to be open for business in time for the 2010 World Cup. Business Day reports that the development cost is about R124m. The hotel group also began construction on the 187-room City Lodge Hatfield last month. The hotel, which will cost about R121m to build, is expected to have a phased opening between next September and December. The group, which owns and operates 43 hotels across its Courtyard, City Lodge, Town Lodge and Road Lodge brands, has three hotels in Pretoria, including Town Lodge Menlo, Courtyard Arcadia and a Road Lodge in Centurion.
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Full Business Day report
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| Women in business urged to take advantage of 2010 – 02/06/2009 |
Women in business have been urged to use the upcoming 2010 World Cup to their advantage. This was said by the South African high commmisiner to Botswana, Dikgang Moopela at the woman’s leadership conference held at the Gaborone International Convention Centre(GICC) earlier this week. According to a Mmegi report, he highlighted opportunities that Batswana could use and also stated that certain practice games will be held in Botswana. This means that services such as travel services and accommodation will have to be provided. The organiser of the event, Ouma Rammidi, stated that it is high time small businesses seize opportunities presented to them so that they grow.
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Full Mmegi report
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| A boost for car rental companies – 02/06/2009 |
The South African passenger car market is near the bottom of its down cycle, said an analyst in response to May’s new vehicle sales numbers released on Tuesday. FIN24 reports that new vehicle sales dropped 34.7% year-on-year (y/y) to 25 819 units in May, compared to April’s 43.17% y/y fall, according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa). Econometrix economist Tony Twine said the number is still weak. However, a smaller drop than the one recorded in April indicates that the passenger car market may be over the worst. He said the passenger car market will receive an added boost, thanks to demand from car rental companies ahead of the Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup.
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Full FIN24 report
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| Imperial pins hopes on tourism – 02/06/2009 |
Automotive conglomerate Imperial Holdings has identified tourism as a key area for future growth. FIN24 reports that the company expects an upsurge in foreign tourists attending the Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup to create opportunities for Europcar, the group’s car rental business unit. ’We are taking the long-term view on tourism,’ said Imperial Holdings CEO Hubert Brody. Imperial is in the process of rebranding its car rental division to Europcar, the continent’s biggest car rental company, with the aim of capturing a foreign tourist market already familiar with the brand.
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Full FIN24 report
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