More options for visitors in 2010
Bongani Mlangeni
11 January 2007Visitors to the 2010 Fifa World Cup will be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation, says Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.
Van Schalkwyk was speaking in Utrecht, Holland on Tuesday at the opening of the Vakantie Beurs, Europe's largest exhibition dedicated to tourism and leisure.
Updating delegates on South Africa's preparations for the World Cup, the minister said the country would ensure that visitors were treated to a uniquely African experience.
"In previous tournaments, only hotels were contracted to accommodate people," Van Schalkwyk said. "However, South Africa is delivering on its promise to ensure a pleasant world cup.
"For the first time in World Cup history, non-hotel accommodation such as national park accommodation, lodges, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts will also be contracted."
All participating establishments will have to obtain a star grading rating from the Tourism Grading Council of SA.
"Small and medium sized enterprises from around the country will be able to apply to our Tourism Enterprise Programme for assistance that will partially cover the grading costs," he said.
This was to help South Africa achieve the dual objectives of spreading tourism benefits beyond cities where matches were taking place and providing spectators with a wider range of accommodation options.
Van Schalkwyk told delegates that the tourism industry has been identified as a priority sector by the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (Asgi-SA).
"Asgi-SA is aimed at increasing economic growth and dramatically reducing poverty and we cannot achieve this without involving our communities, not just in the major metropolitan areas, but also those in rural areas," the minister said.
SA tourism on a roll
He said that statistics for the period between January and July 2006 showed a 15.8%
increase in tourism arrivals to South Africa. More than 4.6-million people visited South Africa during this period, exceeding the 2005 half-yearly figure by 636 610.
According to Van Schalkwyk, the period under review also witnessed a 3.3% increase in arrivals from Europe, with the Netherlands showing reasonable growth of 5.8%.
He said the highest number of arrivals from the international portfolio came from the United Kingdom, a consistent trend over several years.
"A massive 34.7% more visitors from the Russian Federation landed in South Africa over the first seven months of 2006, while the Scandinavian countries (Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark) all posted arrivals that exceeded 10%," he said.
The fastest growth was in visitors from Africa and the Middle East (20.3%), followed by the Americas (11%), Asia and Australia (8%) and Europe (3.1%).
"Our arrivals growth rates far outstrip the rest of the world, which averaged around 4.5% over a similar period," Van Schalkwyk said.
"Growth in South African and indeed sub-Saharan African tourism is driving overwhelmingly positive tourism performance on the continent."
Source: BuaNews
