2010. Are we ready for it?

This Tourism Week. 3 November 2010

2010. Are we ready for it?

I worry about 2010 because, while we’re on track with our stadiums, airports and other infrastructure developments, I wonder if South Africans have any idea of the size of the event.

This is why I’ll be watching with interest for any reports about Danny Jordaan’s presentation to today meeting of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Tourism.

According to the Project 2010 web site, “2010 Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan will today address Parliament’s Tourism portfolio committee on the state of readiness for the influx of World Cup visitors. While most airport construction projects are nearing completion, there are still concerns over whether South Africa will be able to cope with the massive influx of foreign visitors during the month-long tournament. South Africa received a record 9.5 million tourists in 2008, up 5.5 percent annually and that is expected to increase to 10m next year. There are also concerns that there may be a shortage of available domestic flight tickets. Some airlines have cautioned customers to book tickets in advance to avoid the disappointment of not getting the tickets they want.”

Particularly, because (for once) it’s something that the small guy CAN actually do something about, I’m interested to know what’s going to happen on the accommodation front (of course I’m interested in the transport question, too, and whether there’ll be enough food and drink for everyone – but those are things for the big boys to consider. The average home owner can’t make his jet available for the duration…).

According to that consummate ambassador for the event, Gary Bailey, South African Tourism estimates that we’ll be as much as 65,000 beds short on some nights next year.

(Just imagine what that’ll mean for the future of the industry: “Come to Sunny South Africa… and sleep homeless under the stars!”).

And it seems that FIFA’s General Secretary, Jerome Valcke, shares his  concerns. In an IOL Article  - “World Cup accommodation ‘a challenge’,” published September 25 – he’s quoted as saying, “I am not worried about ticket sales but instead about accommodation for the fans. It is our concern that every fan in the world who has bought a ticket also gets a flight and a room.”

As Mr. Bailey said when he addressed a Seeff Properties Seminar on the subject here in Knysna last Friday: “You can’t build that many hotel rooms for one 4-week-long event.”

So private accommodation is going to have to take up the slack.

And therein lies many a rub.

Where will those private homeowners go while they rent out their houses? Who will look after their houses, and check their guests in and out? How is your insurance affected when you rent your house to strangers? Who can the visitor trust to make sure that the standards of accommodation are what they’re meant to be – or even promised to be? Can homeowners trust web sites that purport to act on their behalf? (Here’s just one quote in this regard – from another IOL article published on the 15th of October by Bonile Ngqiyaza: “FIFA’s local organising committee has distanced itself from a website asking property owners to pay from R100 to list their property for the 2010 World Cup accommodation.”). Can visitors trust sites that offer accommodation to rent?

And so on, and so on, and so on…

According to Mr. Bailey, Seeff has set up a comprehensive plan for 2010 that will protect both parties (although there’s disappointingly  little detail on their site (you can, however, find out more in a short video of the seminar here), and it would be interesting to know – and to be able to share with my readers – if there are other, similar campaigns on the go.

Tell us (and the world) if you do know of any – post your information below. Because our future as a tourism destination rests on taking 2010 seriously.

Very seriously.

Buffalo Hills – An African Adventure On the Garden Route

Here’s a special that every tour operator will want to know about.

Besides excellent value for money, Buffalo Hills, near Plettenberg Bay, offers a fantastic experience of South African bush hospitality combined with a unique tour of the Reserve’s very own Nyati jjj Mampoer Distillery for just R950.00 pp (a price that also includes guided game drive, game walk, diner, bed and breakfast, and agent’s commission).

The Reserve has hundreds of plains animals but none of the dangerous ones – so your guests will also be free to enjoy un-guided trail running and mountain biking on established routes (although bikes are not provided – but, given sufficient notice, hire can be arranged through an outside contractor). Guided mountain bike tours (with Mountain Biking Africa),  overnight luxury hiking trails and day visitor facilities are also available.

And the birding, of course, is superb – with dozens of forest, grassland, and open woodland species.

Importantly, kids are genuinely welcome at Buffalo Hills, which owners Tony and Maria Kinahan set up “so that future generations – and especially our grandchildren and their grandchildren – will know something about the magnificence of the African bush.”

See my video interview with cooked Tony Cook and raw Jacques Marais below – or contact Tony Kinahan directly for more information on telephone +27(0)44 535 9739 or e-mail buffalohills@mweb.co.za.

Now go away on holiday – it’s in the economy’s best interest.

And have a GREAT Tourism Week