Brace yourself for 2010 'tsunami'
Michael Appel
19 November 2007While some may consider the cricket or rugby world cups to be big events, they "do not even compare to the Soccer World Cup", says Ray Whelan, chairman of Fifa-accredited tourism company Match, who has been involved in every Fifa World Cup since 1986.
"It's like a tsunami that sweeps across a country," Whelan told delegates at a seminar on 2010, business and the football industry in Johannesburg last week.
South Africa's tourism minister, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, has said that South Africa is expecting 400 000 visitors and 40-billion television viewers for football's showpiece tournament.
Whelan said the benefits the event would bring to South Africa would be incalculable, noting that the value of Korea's exports had jumped by 10% following their hosting of the 2002 World Cup, while Germany's gross domestic product (GDP) had received a boost of some R63.68-billion following the 2006 World Cup.
At the same time, Whelan said, soccer went beyond sport. It was the "world's greatest unspoken language," with the power to transcend political, economic and social boundaries.
In the middle of Nigeria's civil war in 1967, he said, opposing forces had stopped fighting for 48 hours in order to watch Pele play an exhibition match in Lagos. And Fifa had more member states (208) than the United Nations (191).
"South Africa ... will never get a better opportunity than 2010 to showcase to international audiences," Whelan said. The spotlight would be on the country, and it was up to SA how they leveraged that publicity to their advantage.
The World Cup should be used as a stimulant for economic and social development, and South Africa should use the opportunity to showcase African culture and tourism infrastructure.
"You must put your own flavour into the World Cup," Whelan said. Germany did not try to duplicate what was done in Korea in 2002, and neither should South Africa try to duplicate the manner of Germany's hosting in 2006.
Source: BuaNews
