2010 World Cup Commitments Exceed Expectations
JOHANNESBURG- South Africa had exceeded its target revenue commitments for the 2010 Soccer World Cup by $500 million (R3.6 billion) and the excess was expected to reach $1 billion, Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of the 2010 local organising committee, said last week.
Revenue commitments had already reached $3.5 billion compared to the targeted $3 billion, Jordaan said at a meeting to review preparations for the World Cup.
"We may reach $4 billion given the indication of more commercial partners."
Companies have already invested up to $150 million in the event.
Jordaan said South Africa's business perspective was to secure all of its revenue for the next four years.
He said the greatest challenge facing the country in preparation for the World Cup was the provision of infrastructure.
In this year's budget, the government had allocated R17.4 billion to improve the efficiency of public transport and building of stadiums ahead of the tournament.
The other challenge was the scarcity of match tickets.
Jordaan said there would be about 3 million tickets available to the expected 350 000 tourists and fans in the entire country.
"If we are lucky, we [South Africans] can get 1 million tickets," he said.
Jordaan said the major problem with tickets was not price but availability. Therefore, fan parks were proposed around host stadiums in nine cities, in other African countries and abroad.
New build stadia include the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Some of the challenges included visitors' accommodation, transport and logistics.
Adam Brown, the organising committee's senior executive manager of match events, said the issues were based on capacity, as there was not enough accommodation for visitors.
"There are about 55,000 rooms required for the World Cup," Brown said. He said there were 25,000 rooms contracted from hotels, with 19,000 contracted back in 2003, when the World Cup bid was announced.
"We have also signed a memorandum of understanding with SANParks for the Kruger National Park to commit between 2,500 and 3,000 rooms from their lodges and bed and breakfast facilities" said Brown.
He said there were about 1,500 bed and breakfasts contracted across the country.
The majority of the rooms would come from hotels but they "are expecting about 35,000 rooms from hotels and the rest from lodges and B&Bs", he said.
Southern Sun's managing director, Helder Pereira, said the hotel had sold 74 percent of its 12 000 rooms to world football body Fifa for the World Cup. However, 2009 would be more demanding than 2010 for the South African hospitality industry.
"There will be huge accommodation requirements in 2009: the British Lions tour, the FIFA Confederations Cup as well as the elections."
Revenue commitments had already reached $3.5 billion compared to the targeted $3 billion, Jordaan said at a meeting to review preparations for the World Cup.
"We may reach $4 billion given the indication of more commercial partners."
Companies have already invested up to $150 million in the event.
Jordaan said South Africa's business perspective was to secure all of its revenue for the next four years.
He said the greatest challenge facing the country in preparation for the World Cup was the provision of infrastructure.
In this year's budget, the government had allocated R17.4 billion to improve the efficiency of public transport and building of stadiums ahead of the tournament.
The other challenge was the scarcity of match tickets.
Jordaan said there would be about 3 million tickets available to the expected 350 000 tourists and fans in the entire country.
"If we are lucky, we [South Africans] can get 1 million tickets," he said.
Jordaan said the major problem with tickets was not price but availability. Therefore, fan parks were proposed around host stadiums in nine cities, in other African countries and abroad.
New build stadia include the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
Some of the challenges included visitors' accommodation, transport and logistics.
Adam Brown, the organising committee's senior executive manager of match events, said the issues were based on capacity, as there was not enough accommodation for visitors.
"There are about 55,000 rooms required for the World Cup," Brown said. He said there were 25,000 rooms contracted from hotels, with 19,000 contracted back in 2003, when the World Cup bid was announced.
"We have also signed a memorandum of understanding with SANParks for the Kruger National Park to commit between 2,500 and 3,000 rooms from their lodges and bed and breakfast facilities" said Brown.
He said there were about 1,500 bed and breakfasts contracted across the country.
The majority of the rooms would come from hotels but they "are expecting about 35,000 rooms from hotels and the rest from lodges and B&Bs", he said.
Southern Sun's managing director, Helder Pereira, said the hotel had sold 74 percent of its 12 000 rooms to world football body Fifa for the World Cup. However, 2009 would be more demanding than 2010 for the South African hospitality industry.
"There will be huge accommodation requirements in 2009: the British Lions tour, the FIFA Confederations Cup as well as the elections."
Labels: 2010, development, nelspruit, sport, world cup
posted by Kruger2Canyons.com at
Monday, April 23, 2007
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