Visitors to the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup will be spoilt for choice regarding accommodation options, said Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

He was speaking in Utrecht, Netherlands on Tuesday at the opening of the Vakantie Beurs, Europe's largest exhibition dedicated to tourism and leisure. It is being held under the theme "Community Based Tourism."

Updating delegates on recent developments regarding preparations for the world cup, the minister said South Africa was delivering on its promise to ensure that visitors during the tournament will be treated to a uniquely African experience.

"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," said Mr van Schalkwyk.

All participating establishments will have to obtain a star grading rating from the Tourism Grading Council.

"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 are taking place and provide spectators with a wider range of accommodation options.

He told delegates that the tourism industry has been identified as one of two priority sectors in the Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA). "AsigSA 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," he added.

He further said the success of South Africa's marketing efforts was paying off as statistics have shown an increase in the number of visitors to the country. Statistics released for the period between January and July 2006 shows a 15.8 percent 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 Mr van Schalkwyk the period under review also witnessed a 3.3 percent increase in arrivals from Europe, with the Netherlands showing a reasonable growth of 5.8 percent.

He said the highest number of arrivals from the international portfolio came from the United Kingdom a consistent trend which has prevailed for several years.

"A massive 34.7 percent 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 10percent," he said.

The fastest growth was in visitors from Africa and the Middle East (20.3 percent), followed by the Americas (11 percent), Asia and Australia (8.0 percent) and Europe (3.1 percent).

"Our arrivals growth rates far outstrip the rest of the world, which averaged around 4.5 percent over a similar period.

"Growth in South African and indeed sub-Saharan African tourism is driving overwhelmingly positive tourism performance on the continent," he said. Over the past two years, according to Mr van Schalkwyk Africa has achieved the fastest growth rates of any major region in the world averaging in the region of 10 percent.

Last November Mr van Schalkwyk said South Africa was already seeing benefits from the country's elevated international profile, although the 2010 Soccer World Cup is four years away. This was in relation to the country's performance in tourism during the first quarter of 2006, when South Africa for the first time broke through the 2.5 million mark, recording over 2.7 million tourist arrivals.

Source: Bongani Mlangeni, BuaNews


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