As I arrived at the newly renovated O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, on my way to the Indaba travel trade show in early May, I encountered local people standing to greet and assist visitors. I suddenly realized that I was seeing the final dress rehearsal for South Africa as it prepares to meet the world for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

This year’s Indaba was the climax of the six-year build up to the World Cup, scheduled to take place only June 11 through July 11, only a month after the trade show. Ever since 2004, when South Africa won its bid to host the world soccer (football) championship, its tourism industry has been preparing diligently for the event. The World Cup has been the main theme of every Indaba, and now that the anticipated tournament is practically here, the emphasis of Indaba, South Africa Tourism and the country itself was “We are ready.”

I flew to South Africa for the first time on South African Airways’ newly scheduled nonstop flight from New York JFK to Johannesburg. It leaves in the morning, instead of early evening as before. That schedule allows the flight to arrive in Johannesburg in the morning instead of the evening, and opens many more connections without a stay over in Johannesburg. Equally important for me was the fact that the New York-Johannesburg route no longer stops at Dakar on the west coast of Africa, as it did before, which greatly eases the trip. The whole flight took roughly 15 hours.

The return flight from Johannesburg to New York JFK still stops in Dakar, but South African Airways (SAA) says it is working on a way to provide nonstop service on that leg as well. SAA’s new CEO, Siza Mzimela, told attendees at Indaba that the airline has taken substantial steps to prepare for the challenges of moving the lion’s share of the estimated 300,000 visitors to the World Cup. “We are more than ready for the World Cup,” she said. “We’ve geared up so we’re able to run a 24-hour operation on certain days. We’ve improved our aircraft availability and made sure we have better aircraft.” SAA has added staff in its cabin crews, check-in desks, baggage handling and call centers.

Indeed, there is new infrastructure throughout South Africa. New airports and many stadiums have been built. I landed in Durban at its brand new King Shaka Airport, which still smelled of fresh paint and freshly poured concrete. During the conference I was able to visit the new Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, an architectural marvel with a dramatic spine over the top that supports the sides with cables similar to a suspension bridge.

The energy in the air at Indaba seemed to audibly crackle as I walked through its several pavilions, each packed with travel exhibitors. With Durban, South Africa’s version of Miami Beach, as its tropically festive setting, the show brings together a wide diversity of people and businesses gathered for a common purpose. And the cumulative energy it produces is almost startling.

South African Tourism, the country’s tourism marketing entity, claims the industry has spent $3 billion preparing for the World Cup. It sees that investment as a good beginning for a greater future as a maturing destination. The government has invested heavily to upgrade the country’s infrastructure, telecommunications and transport. South Africa hopes to capitalize on the World Cup’s massive global TV exposure to show the world a first world infrastructure. Indeed, all of Africa is taking pride in this World Cup and hoping it will lift the continent in the eyes of the world.

Even so, during Indaba South Africa Tourism CEO Thandiwe January-McClean began to shift the emphasis toward post-World Cup concerns. “As the World Cup recedes, the future begin,” she said. According to January-McClean, South African Tourism’s objective is to keep the world’s attention after the global spotlight turns away from the World Cup. The country is set to launch a new global marketing campaign aimed at accomplishing that. “South African will be more top of mind,” said McLean. “Our job over the next three years will be to convert that to people coming for business or leisure purposes.”

Not surprisingly, there is still some apprehension as the big event nears. In Johannesburg I spoke to an Africa specialist tour operator from Australia who was upset over what he saw as price hiking by some hoteliers for the World Cup. He said Sydney’s tourism went into a decline after the Olympics, as did many other countries’ after hosting the games. Barcelona, he said, was a notable exception because the government regulated hoteliers and told them they could not raise prices beyond their regular rates for the Olympics. He told me that was an important factor in the fact that the Olympics seemed to boost Barcelona’s post-Olympics tourism more than in other host countries.

South African Tourism did a study to find out just how much gouging has been taking place and reported that only 30 percent of South Africa’s hotels were raising rates beyond normal high season rates. Most of those were in the Johannesburg-Pretoria region, where most of the World Cup games will be and where the demand for rooms is greatest. Oddly enough, the country with the most demand for World Cup tickets is the U.S., which seems odd, in that we are not noted as a country of soccer fans.

While South African President Jacob Zuma said the World Cup has created 3.6 million jobs, to South Africans the World Cup was never just about just soccer, tourism or business. Instead, it’s something much greater happening in the life of a young nation. As Dr Z.L. Mkhize, head of Kwazulu Natal, the province of Durban, pointed out in his speech at the opening ceremony of Indaba, 2010 will be 20 years since Nelson Mandela came out of prison, ultimately to help tie up the nation’s wounds and emerge as the first president of a democratic South Africa. Mkhize said the World Cup will be a “celebration of the birth of freedom and democracy.”

As I attended Indaba’s opening ceremony and walked the electric trade show floor, it was nearly impossible to remain unmoved. It feels like something very strong and positive is going on in South Africa – and I felt that even before the World Cup frenzy! For more information, visit www.southafrica.net.

David Cogswell is executive editor covering tours and Africa for TravelPulse.com.
 

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