“Festival is going to be even more crazy next year,” promised former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Andre Arendse at Think!Fest on Sunday.
“Festival is going to be even more crazy next year,” promised former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Andre Arendse at Think!Fest on Sunday.
His presentation, which was part of Juggling the Ball, a day of discussions focused on the 2010 World Cup, highlighted some of the business opportunities out there “for the average you and I”, he said.
Extending Festival to 15 days is just one of the ways Grahamstown is getting ready for 2010. Countrywide, individuals are taken up the FIFA fever and starting business ventures to capitalise on the estimated 200 000 visitors that will descend on South Africa. Sleeping, feeding, seating and moving thousands of supporters around the country is a massive undertaking, but anyone can become part of the action. The games are played every
three days, which means that the visitors will have plenty of time to experience what the South African
tourism sector has to offer.
The World Cup is expected to inject R51.1 billion into the country’s GDP and go a long way in curbing the unemployment problem. Arendse said Germany’s unemployment figure decreased by 29% after the 2006 World Cup.
“We must make the effort to put ourselves out there and use the opportunities and world focus,” said Arendse. For example, South Africa is 30 000 beds short, according to Arendse, but people interested in transforming their home into a bed and breakfast must make sure to follow the correct registering and grading procedure. But having
foreign guests stay in your spare room and charging them a pretty fee is one way to slide under the FIFA bureaucracy. Other opportunities lie in creating a public viewing space and charging entrance fees, although adhering to the strict FIFA branding regulations is of utmost importance. Even the words “FIFA World Cup” are copyrighted.
The 2010 World Cup is going to be a vibrant affair when FIFA meets Festival. “When [FIFA president Sepp Blatter] says Africa’s time has come, I believe him,” said Arendse. And how does this soccer player describe the first Soccer World Cup on African soil? “Colourful.”
