PROJECT 2010 - Preparing South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™

Project 2010 - A Twenty Ten Media and Marketing Initiative

PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD

Tourism

Market continues to grow – 07/12/2010

The SA tourist market has continued to grow after the 2010 World Cup, said Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. ’The tournament has positioned South Africa as a viable investment market and a spin-off of improved perceptions abroad could have a long-lasting impact, not only on South Africa and its development, but on the continent as a whole,’ he said. According to a report on the iafrica.com site, the minister said tourist arrivals between January and September increased 16.8% when compared to the same period in 2009.

Full iafrica.com site

Murder of tourist to affect tourism? – 17/11/2010

While South Africa put its ’best foot forward’ during the 2010 World Cup, the murder of a 28-year-old British tourist in the country’s province of Cape Town has renewed concerns over tourist safety in the country, notes a People’s Daily report. ’It is appalling that the actions of one or two thugs should bring our entire country into disrepute in the eyes of the world,’ said the head of the country’s police force, General Bheki Cele. ’South Africa safely hosts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually without any serious incident, as was proved during the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup,’he added.

Full People’s Daily report

Global travellers rate SA – 26/.10/2010

South Africa is performing well on TripAdvisor – one of the world’s top sources of independent travel reviews, notes a Fin24.com report. According to Helena Egan, the company’s head of destination marketing, TripAdvisor has about 42 million unique users a month. In 2009 TripAdvisor had some 1.4 million hits on South Africa a month. This year the figure has risen to 1.7 million. Apart from South Africans reading reviews on local destinations, most of the interest comes from Britain, America, Germany, Australia, The Netherlands, Italy and, increasingly, China.

Full Fin24.com report

WC lives up to its promises – 22/10/2010

For almost three quarters of the tourists who visited Cape Town and the Western Cape province of South Africa during June and July this year, the 2010 World Cup was their introduction to the city and province, while an overwhelming 90% said that they would visit the destination again. CBN reports that these are the findings of a 2010 Visitor Tracking Survey commisioned by Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU), the tourism destination marketing organisation for Cape Town and the Western Cape, and performed by GAB Consulting during June and July 2010.

Full CBN report

R163m boost for Mandela Bay – 15/10/2010

The 2010 World Cup generated more than R163- million in Nelson Mandela Bay and created 614 direct and 834 indirect job opportunities in the tourism sector, according to an impact assessment released by Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT). The Weekend Post reports that the socio-economic assessment of the event’s impact on Nelson Mandela Bay and surrounds is based on returns received from a broad cross-section of the travel and tourism industry in the city. The economic benefit totalled about R163.6-million.

Full Weekend Post report

WC arrivals top earlier estimates – 05/10/2010

An analysis of the latest foreign tourist arrival statistics shows that about 400 000 tourists visited South Africa during the 2010 World Cup held earlier this year, notes a Fin24.com report. Grant Thornton said this had been higher than the 373 000 figure the consultancy had predicted. ’Total overseas visitors could easily be around the 270 000 mark, with a possible 130 000 African visitors to SA for the event.’ Grant Thornton had assessed the June and July 2010 foreign arrivals released by Statistics SA last week.

Full Fin24.com report

WC star to head campaign – 01/10/2010star

Uruguayan footballer Diego Forlan, who won the Golden Ball as best player at the FIFA 2010 World Cup, has been signed up to spearhead a campaign to boost tourism to his homeland, notes a Breaking Travel News report. The blond centre forward will be the face of Uruguayan tourism in a campaign that will run to end of the next Southern Hemisphere summer season, and run throughout Latin America. Forlan is doing a photo shoot and recording short film in Madrid, where he currently plays for La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

Full Breaking Travel News reportBreaking

Tourists hugely impressed with SA – 20/09/2010

Restoring SA Tourism’s budget necessary for SA to build on World Cup success and country’s immense tourism potential. The Democratic Alliance has published its own research on tourist perceptions during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, notes a Politics Web report. This research indicates that impressions gained by the estimated 383 000 World Cup tourists who visited our shores are better even that what has been reported in the past. International perceptions of our country sometimes indicate a relatively dangerous and costly long-haul destination with poor service levels and limited tourism experiences.

Full Politics Web report Politics

Tourism bosses back Durban to host Olympics

The SA tourism industry has thrown its weight behind Durban to bid to host the 2020 or 2024 summer Olympic Games, notes a report on the IoL site. Leaders of four of the country’s most influential private sector tourism industry organisations have backed the port city to be South Africa’s candidate city for an Olympic bid. Marketing heavyweight Paul Bannister said the tourism industry was looking to capitalise on the World Cup success and looking to hosting more events, including the Olympics, to keep the momentum going and brand SA in the global limelight.

Full report on the IoL site

WC boosts government, tourism relations – 08/09/2010

Government and the tourism industry will continue to strengthen their relationship following South Africa’s successful hosting of the 2010 World Cup, said Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. ’The World Cup opened up a new window of opportunity for the tourism industry. It is up to all of us to make use of this opportunity’ van Schalkwyk said after meeting with several stakeholders in Johannesburg to analyse the impact of the tournament. The World Cup is said to have injected more than R39 billion to South Africa’s economy contributing 0.1 percent to the country’s GDP.

Full press release

New BA flight to SA - 05/08/2010

Cape Town has scored the first golden goal of the 2010 World Cup: a second daily passenger flight from London due to the Mother City’s sky-rocketing popularity among British tourists. British Airways this week announced results of a passenger survey that identified Cape Town as Brits’ favourite holiday destination. The Times notes that as a result, it will offer a second daily flight between Heathrow and Cape Town, before the 2010 summer holiday season.

Full report in The Times

SA Tourism to use WC as marketing springboard – 03/08/2010

SA Tourism will spend R188m on a marketing drive for the rest of the financial year to ensure that millions of international soccer fans who came to SA for the World Cup become regular visitors. Business Day reports that the local SA Tourism office would spend R88m, while its satellite offices globally would spend R100m on a campaign that hopes to reach 1,4-billion people, Roshene Singh, chief marketing officer at SA Tourism, told Business Day recently. Singh said the World Cup had gone a long way to changing foreigners’ perceptions of the country, with SA now seen as far more welcoming than before.

Full Business Day report

BA passengers tip CT – 28/07/2010

Cape Town is now the favourite destination for British Airlines (BA) passengers worldwide, and the airline is starting a new daily flight to Cape Town as from November. Fin24 reports that BA says its new Boeing 777 will be introduced for the route. Sue Botes, BA’s commercial manager in South Africa, says demand for flights to Cape Town was on the rise even before the 2010 World Cup tournament. Passengers throughout the world who fly BA have identified Cape Town as their favourite destination.

Full Fin24 report

WC a boost for winter tourism – 23/07/2010

Tourism in Cape Town during the World Cup had not lived up to short-term expectations, but the long-term benefits were expected to be significant, according to Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, the chief executive of Cape Town Tourism. According to a report on the IoL site, hotels and B&Bs were on average about 55 percent full throughout the football tournament - about 15 percent higher than last winter, but still well below what some had anticipated.

Full report on the IoL site

90% of tourists recommend SA – 16/07/2010

Nine out of 10 foreign visitors in South Africa for the World Cup will recommend the country to family and friends as an ideal holiday destination, according to a survey released recently. A total of 722 tourists were interviewed in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria, African Response, the company that conducted the survey, said. It investigated perceptions of the various elements of the South African experience, including roads, accommodation, stadia, policing and safety.

Full Sport24 report

PE still on a WC high - 14/07/2010

Tourists and football fans have streamed into Port Elizabeth in ’unprecedented’ numbers since the start of the World Cup, Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) said. ’Particularly on the day of a match played in the city, and on the day before and after, most establishments have been fully booked,’ said NMBT spokesperson Titus Chuene. Tallies were still being made and official figures would only be available towards the end of the month, ’but it appears visitors have come here in unprecedented numbers’, he said.

Full report on the IoL site

SA tourism to reap the rewards – 13/07/2010

South Africa’s investment in the 2010 World Cup will lead to increased tourism, trade and more investment after the country’s successful hosting of the sporting event, President Jacob Zuma said. ’We are sure that the investment we have made will contribute to increased tourism, trade and investment. This will ultimately create new opportunities and bring in the revenue for us to address social challenges,’ said Zuma. According to a report on the IoL site, he said South Africa was looking forward to years of long-term positive interest from people abroad after the month-long World Cup

Full report on the IoL site

Positive WC coverage a boost for SA tourism – 07/07/2010

The positive global media coverage South Africa has received during the 2010 World Cup has exceeded all expectations and will benefit the country’s tourism industry long after the tournament ends. According to the Department of Tourism, the World Cup has showcased the country to an international audience of approximately 32 billion viewers and introduced South African to non-traditional markets in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia.

Full press release

Big 5 attracts WC fans - 06/07/2010

As the sun set over the savannah at Kruger National Park, a football fan unfurled a banner from the side of an open-air safari truck. Sport24 reports that the guided tour was about to set out in search of Africa’s ’big five’ – lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and Cape buffalo – and the Argentina fan seized the moment to convey a message to the world, or any animals that might be watching. ’Whatever happens, no matter what,’ the banner said. It showed a picture of Argentina coach Diego Maradona lifting the World Cup – a dream soon killed by Germany as they sank their teeth into the Albicelestes in their quarter-final on Saturday.

Full Sport24 report

Tourism costs ’a mere drop in the ocean’ - 06/07/2010

South Africa invested about $100-million in tourism marketing in the build-up to the World Cup, the Tourism Ministry said. ’The total investment in these campaigns was approximately $100m over the four years running up to the 2010 World Cup’, Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said. ’It is estimated to have reached 1.9-billion people every month in our key target markets.’ According to a report on the IoL site, Van Schalkwyk said this was a ’mere drop in the ocean’ however, compared to the benefits to tourism of positive reporting on South Africa during the World Cup.

Full report on the IOL site

Scramble for flights to SA - 05/07/2010Scramble

European airlines are making emergency arrangements to cope with the demand from football fans. FIN24 reports that the 2010 World Cup is now almost a purely European affair. In the semi-finals, Germany will play Spain on Wednesday, while the Netherlands and Uruguay battle it out on Tuesday. The interest in flights has increased and KLM is doing its utmost to accommodate the augmented demand, Saskia Kranendonk, KLM press officer, says.

Full FIN24 reportFIN24

One million tourists enter SA - 04/07/2010

The number of foreign visitors entering South Africa during the 2010 World Cup period has now risen to one million, the home affairs department said. ’This figure is expected to rise further as the World Cup enters the semi-finals and the final phases of the tournament,’ said spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa in a statement. The Movement Control System (MCS), which was launched by Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and linked to Sars and law enforcement agencies, had enabled the country to monitor movements of persons entering the country, particularly during the period leading up to and during the various phases of the 2010 World Cup.

Full report on the Sport24 siteFull

Lesotho visitors top the WC list - 01/07/2010

Lesotho nationals top the list of foreign visitors entering South Africa during the World Cup so far. Home Affairs Deputy Minister Malusi Gigaba, briefing the media in Pretoria, said 188 702 Lesotho nationals had entered the country, while 173 043 had departed SA. The Daily Dispatch reports that he attributed this to Lesotho’s close proximity to South Africa.

Full Daily Dispatch report

WC sidelines sardine run - 30/06/2010sidelines

The ’greatest shoal on earth’ was being sidelined as the 2010 World Cup entered the quarter finals, fishermen and netters said. ’There have been absolutely no tourists of any sort this year. This World Cup has definitely dampened things,’ said fisherman and netter Morgan Vadivelu. He said the tourists and documentarians, who usually visited the province to get a glimpse of the slippery catch, were not there this year. ’Everyone is so excited for the soccer that they are forgetting about everything else,’ he said.

Full report on the News 24 site

WC investors lose out – 30/06/2010

Several investors and schools in the Cape Peninsula have received only disappointment and debt instead of soccer tourists and fat cheques as payback for their expensive contribution to a national tourism scheme. Sport24 reports that at least 30 entrepreneurs from Mitchells Plain, Eerste River, Grassy Park and Khayelitsha, who hoped to coin it big during the 2010 World Cup, have lost at least R90 000 each. The mastermind behind the national tourism project, Channon Merrick from Merricks Empowerment Consultants, reportedly had to flee from a meeting that was held earlier this month with furious investors from Soweto who had invested heavily in the same scheme and wanted their money back.

Full Sport24 report

Durban a big hit - 29/06/2010

An estimated 30 000 visitors have flocked to KwaZulu-Natal since the 2010 World Cup started, the provincial tourism department said. ’We had a target of 25 000 tourists visiting our province and we exceeded this. We have also noted that during match days the province attracts about 30 000 fans,’ MEC for economic development and tourism Mike Mabuyakhulu told journalists in Durban. According to a report on the IoL site, Durban’s FIFA Fan Fest was the most popular in the country, attracting more than 200 000 since the start of the tournament.

Full report on the IoL site

Big names bring windfall - 29/06/2010

Halfway through the World Cup, tourism officials say football fans have already brought an economic windfall that looks set to keep rolling as a raft of big countries play in the second round, notes a report on the iafrica.com site. Business is booming with foreign fans at bars and restaurants, which are also boosted by plenty of local support for big guns like England, Portugal and Brazil after hosts South Africa bowed out.

Full report on the iafrica.com site

Cape Town: Robben Island covered with soccer passion - 28/06/2010

Among the tourist attractions in South Africa on World Cup football fans ’must-do’ lists, one of the most notorious penal colonies of the last century is right up there. SPort24 reports that Robben Island, a barren outcrop off the Cape Town coast, is best known for being home to political prisoners jailed by the old apartheid government, most famously former leader Nelson Mandela and current president Jacob Zuma.

Full Sport24 report

Hundreds of fans denied entry into SA - 27/06/2010Hundreds

Six hundred and thirteen travellers have been barred entry into South Africa during the 2010 World Cup, the Home Affairs department said. Spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said that since the beginning of the month, the travellers were denied entry because their names appeared either on the Interpol, FIFA or South Africa’s Visa and Entry Stop List, notes a Mail & Guardian report. ’The 613 foreign travellers were detected through South Africa’s movement control system launched in May this year,’ he said.

Full report on the Mail and Guardian site

Canadians spending big at WC – 25/06/2010

Canadian soccer fans are spending up a storm at the 2010 World Cup. Canadians are not spending as much as other countries, notes a News1130 report. But, considering Canada does not even have a team on the field, Canadians still made the top 10 list of counties shelling out the dough, coming in ninth behind Mexico. US, Australia, France and Brazil are the strongest spenders so far. Visa card carriers have already contributed $3.4m during the first week of the tournament.

Full News1130 report