Foreign Visitors Top 1 Million Mark During World Cup

More than a million foreign visitors have come to South Africa during the World Cup period, according to figures from the Home Affairs department.

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 World Cup.

In that regard, the MCS recorded a total number of foreigners visiting the country from June 1 to July 1 as 1 020 321 compared to 819 495 for the same period in 2009. This represented an increase of 200 826 or 25%.

1 million tourists enter SA
Sport 24
July 4, 2010

Foreign Visitor Expectations Fall Again

South African tourism officials are now estimating that only 300,000 foreign visitors will come to the country during the World Cup. This is down from an initial prediction of 450,000 and a reduced prediction only a month ago of about 375,000.

"It may be a little bit less than what we expected ... but four years ago nobody expected the global recession," [tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk] said, quickly adding: "But it is still a lot of people. Our stadiums are going to be full, it is going to an exceptionally good World Cup."

Of the 230 000 foreign fans who have bought tickets, Van Schalkwyk said just 11 300 are African -- 76% less than originally forecast for the first World Cup on African soil.

SA expects 300 000 World Cup visitors
Mail & Guardian
May 19, 2010

Tent City to Open Near Durban Stadium

The Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban is set to host a fan camp during the World Cup where fans can pitch tents and camp out. This particular camp is being run by an Australian tour group, and more than 1,200 Australians have already booked a spot.

[Australian] fans have already marked their territory in Durban. Australian Tour Group Fanatics, responsible for the organisation of the tour, will be based at the Sahara Stadium, Kingsmead, where a camping village will be set up.

The camp will open on June 8 and close on June 30 and is close enough for a leisurely stroll to the new soccer venue.

Transport options have also been included in the travel package which includes match tickets.

South Africa: Australians Ready to Pitch at Tent City
BuaNews
April 26, 2010

Transportation Permit Applications Up in Gauteng

More than 1,600 applications have been filled out for special operating licenses in Gauteng Province during the World Cup. Minibus operators, tour agencies and other shuttles are seeking official approval to drive in and around Johannesburg and the rest of the province during the World Cup.

[Gauteng Department of Transport Director Sipho] Mbele said rail was going to be the backbone of the mass public transport, with eight dedicated trains for Tshwane and 10 for Johannesburg to be added to normal operational services.

He said that 50 days before the start of the tournament, the department's transport operations were ready and were being rolled out for 19 of the 32 teams which would have their camps in Gauteng.

1 600 claims for SWC transport
News 24
April 21, 2010

Home Affairs Department To Ease Processing of International Fans at Ports

South Africa's Home Affairs department has instituted temporary practices to ease the processing of foreign visitors into the country during the World Cup. Free visas for foreign visitors attending games, passenger processing systems and new lanes at airports for foregin visitors are some of the measures being taken to ease the flood of visitors. Other measures will also be put in place, including one that aims to "track" foreign visitors around the country.

A 24-hour operations centre had been established in Pretoria to handle any problems that might arise.

Briefing the media earlier on Wednesday, Dlamini-Zuma said her department was also setting up a system to track and facilitate the movement of foreign visitors around the country.

"We are making sure we have an integrated system at our ports of entry that can assist us both in the security, but also in the facilitation of movement of people.

Home Affairs ready for 2010 SWC
News24
April 14, 2010

Some Price Issues Facing Tourists in South Africa

This video from CNN features an interview with Thandiew January-McLean, who is the CEO of South African Tourism. She discusses how her agency is dealing with concerns over local businesses overcharging customers. She claims there is only a minority of hotel owners who have raised their prices exorbitantly.

She also discusses how the country hopes to use the World Cup as leverage to continue to lure tourists after the World Cup is over.


Will South Africa really benefit from World Cup?
CNN
April 14, 2010

KwaZulu-Natal to Provide 15,000 'Tourist Buddies'

The provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal is hoping to improve its tourism industry ahead of the World Cup by training thousands of locals and hospitality industry workers to be "tourist buddies" to visitors. These "buddies" are intended to help tourists as they travel in and around the province.

MEC for economic development and tourism Mike Mabuyakhulu said they were targeting 15000 people to be trained.

“For starters, we will train 1500 people. We will be taking people already in the employ of the hospitality industry but we will also train volunteers from the rural areas,” he said.

“Those receiving training are staff in hotels, food outlets, restaurants, garages, car guards and any industry dealing with people,” Mabuyakhulu said.

Plan to train 15000 tourist buddies for Fifa World Cup
Sowetan
April 13, 2010

Zimbabwe Hopes to Draw Tourists With Revised Visa Rules

The government of Zimbabwe is hoping to revise its visa rules to ease international travel into the country from neighboring South Africa.

Proposals included a special permit to allow travel between South Africa and Zimbabwe and a complete suspension of visa requirements for visitors from the 32 participating nations.

This as concern grows that the tourism and commercial spin-offs from South Africa's hosting of the tournament may not be as high as initially predicted.

Zimbabwe's Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi said: "The arrivals have been revised down almost to about 280 000 or so, starting from an all high of 450 000. It affects us here as well".

Zimbabwe calls for special World Cup visa
April 13, 2010

Domestic Tourism to Drop During Cup

While foreign tourism is expected to boom during the World Cup, economists and tourism experts say domestic tourism in South Africa will see a lull during the event.

Domestic tourism might take a back seat during the soccer tournament, however. Advisory and research firm Grant Thornton, which recently conducted a study commissioned by the government into accommodation prices during the World Cup, said last month that domestic tourism was likely to be softer over this winter, as foreign fans displaced local visitors during the soccer tournament.

It said business travellers were likely to postpone their domestic travel plans until after the World Cup and families were likely to stay at home during the school holidays, scheduled during the game.

The firm said it expected between 300 000 and 480 000 foreign fans - 151 000 from Africa - to arrive in SA for the tournament, and spend R8,5bn. Early forecasts of up to 750 000 visitors at the World Cup are now considered unrealistic.

South Africa: World Cup Fans Are Doing Some Tourist Research
Business Day
April 1, 2010

Soweto Angles to be Tourist Draw During World Cup

Soweto is hoping to lure World Cup tourists to experience its historic character and distinct urban charm. Local business people claim that bed-and-breakfast accommodations are fully booked for the World Cup period. This article takes a look at the township and its history.

This is the new Soweto, a mix of upper-crust comforts and urban grit.

It is a place where shopping malls and landscaped parks have sprung up among some of South Africa’s most important landmarks of the struggle against white-minority rule.

It’s a side of Johannesburg that residents hope World Cup visitors will venture out to see, where one third of the city’s 3.8 million people live.

Soweto to show face of success to tourists
Sowetan
March 30, 2010

South Africa Safer Than Spain and Germany for British Tourists

South Africa is safer for British tourists than Spain or Germany, according to a report from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. British tourists are expected to be the largest group of foreign visitors to South Africa for the World Cup.

The report, which examined the behaviour of British tourists from April, 2008, to March, 2009, measured how much help Brits needed from their different consulates abroad.

And the results may surprise you. Of the 451 580 Britons who visited South Africa in the 12-month period - and a further 212 000 living in the country - there were 23 arrests, 23 hospital admissions and 48 deaths, due to either accidents, natural causes or murder. No rape or sexual assault cases were reported.

SA safer for tourists than Spain or Germany
The Star
March 25, 2010

One-Quarter of Accommodations Raise Prices 50% or More During World Cup

A recent survey by the Department of Tourism shows that nearly one-quarter of the nation's tourist accommodations are planning to increase their prices by more than 50% during the World Cup.

The survey, which investigated alleged overpricing by accommodation establishments, showed that the remaining 76% of respondents polled raised their prices by under 50%.

Speaking to Business Day Online, Sindiswa Nhlumayo, Deputy Director-General in the department of Tourism says the price increases were expected.

"When you host an event of such magnitude, increases like are expected based on the laws of supply and demand", Nhlumayo said.

South Africa: 2010 Accommodation Marked Up By Over 50 Percent
Business Day
March 26, 2010

Foreign Visitors to South Africa Increased in 2009

The amount of foreign visitors to South Africa saw a 3.6% increase in 2009, and that figure is expected to see a similar rise in 2010 -- mainly due to the World Cup.

"This defies the decline of four percent that the global travel industry experienced last year as traveller markets reeled from the effects of the global financial crisis. I believe it strongly reaffirms the vitality of our tourism industry," [Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said].

Tourism contributes more than 8 percent to South Africa's economy and the government plans to raise that to more than 10 percent in the next few years.

SA foreign visitors rise, World Cup to boost
Independent Online
March 4, 2010

South Africa Expecting 10 Million Tourists in 2010

Officials are predicting that the World Cup will help bring the country's tourist count up over the 10 million mark.

Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said the World Cup, which kicks off in less than 100 days, would help to push up the number of tourists visiting the country to 10 million this year, a figure many thought South Africa would never achieve.

"What we will do this year is to achieve what many people said four, five years ago was impossible. This year we will receive 10-million foreign tourists and that, in our view, is a major achievement."

2010: Guess how many tourists SA expects ...
Cape Argus
March 3, 2010

A Look Inside the Sex Worker Industry as it Prepares for the World Cup

This report takes readers inside the world of sex work in Johannesburg, and finds a booming industry that's ready and waiting for the influx of visitors coming to the coutnry for the World Cup.

I paid R7 at the door and was told a beer costs R15. The sex workers charge R50 for “a round” and the same for a blow job.

Each room has two beds and a mattress and doubles up as a kitchen. The girls rent out the rooms, with at least five sharing a room.

“It will be business as usual for us during the World Cup,” says one of them.

Sex workers up for World Cup - Soccer visitors will be spoilt for choice in Johannesburg
Sowetan
March 2, 2010

Tourism Ministry to Investigate Price Hikes During World Cup

Tourism officials are pledging to crack down on any local businesses and hotels caught inflating prices ahead of the World Cup.

Marthinus van Schalkwyk, the South African tourism minister, said: "In recent weeks we have noted allegations that accommodation establishments in the tourism industry are not responsible, and are inflating prices excessively.

"Until now, our impression has been that this is not the case, but we believe it should be investigated and the results of the investigation made public."

An internet search found that a room at a midrange hotel near Johannesburg's OR Tambo airport that would cost R1,145 (£95) on a typical weeknight will be at least a third more expensive during the Word Cup. The investigation follows an inquiry into airlines for alleged price collusion.

South Africa hotels investigated over World Cup price rise claims
Guardian
February 24, 2010

Workers Call on FIFA to Ban Foreign Manufacture of Memorabilia

South African laborers and union officials are protesting over the controversial manufacture of World Cup memorabilia outside of South Africa.

Members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) protested outside FIFA's offices last week insisting that no more memorabilia for the tournament is imported.

The complaints erupted after it was reported that 'Zakumi', the World Cup mascot, was being manufactured in China. Since then, it has emerged that many other products, such as scarves, shirts and blankets, are being brought in from outside South Africa.

Workers vent anger over imports
ESPN
February 16, 2010

Hotels Promise to Keep Rates Standard During World Cup

Operators of bed-and-breakfasts and hotels in FIFA-endorsed accomodation areas have pledged to keep their prices reasonable during the World Cup.

Knysna tourism head Shaun van Eck said the organisation suggested that establishments use summer rates during the World Cup.

"However, many establishments are sticking to their winter rates for the whole period," he said. "We sincerely believe that the World Cup is a long-term opportunity for us to build Knysna... to a top 100 destination in the world. Our approach is definitely a strategy to attract more visitors, and to position Knysna as a value-for-money destination."

Guesthouses promise not to hike prices
Cape Argus
February 4, 2010

Tourism Boom Slow to Materialize in KwaZulu-Natal

Early hotel reservation figures and flight bookings indicate that Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal province may see smaller crowds for the World Cup than expected. Local business people are hoping that the boom is still on its way.

Airfares and accommodation have reportedly been pushed up to unaffordable levels and this, combined with persistent crime fears and the effects of the recession in Europe and the US appear to be keeping international visitors away from South Africa - and Durban in particular.

Tourism KZN CEO Ndabo Khoza said this week there were concerns in the accommodation and tourism industries, but they were nonetheless confident of reaching their initial target of 25 000 foreign visitors over all 30 days of the tournament.

Tourists shun KZN over prices
Sunday Tribune
Feburay 14, 2010

Violence and High Prices Limiting Visitors to South Africa During Cup

Violence and high-priced packages aimed at tourists hoping to maintain a tightly secured visit to South Africa are making the World Cup less of a boon than many had hoped, according to this post.

The English FA have returned some of their tickets to Fifa and sales in Germany and Holland have also been slow, amid the disconnected though still unhelpful publicity surrounding the attack on the Togo team bus in Angola and doubts raised by influential football figures such as Franz Beckenbauer and Uli Hoeness over cost and security. The last two questions are linked, because apart from the relative scarcity of available aircraft seats and hotel beds that is driving up the price of World Cup packages, fears over visitors' safety mean that most deals are being pitched at wealthy individuals staying in upmarket accommodation rather than independent travellers on a budget.

South Africa's cup is failing to set the world on fire
Guardian
January 31, 2010