Final FIFA World Cup Draw to Earn SA Millions; New Marketing Campaign Launched

The approximately 5,000 FIFA delegates, media and international guests visiting Cape Town for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final Draw and related events, are expected to spend an estimated R126.8 million (calculated on an average stay of five days). However, the real value of this spectacular event lies in the powerful media exposure it will generate for Cape Town and the Western Cape province of South Africa as a travel destination.

“The Final Draw, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 4 December 2009, will be broadcast to approximately 150 million viewers in 199 countries. Up to 2,000 media are expected to be covering the Draw and related events. Therefore it really is Cape Town and the Western Cape’s time to shine and showcase our organisational capacity and confidence, infrastructure readiness, friendliness, tourism diversity and scenic beauty,” said Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism.

The Final Draw will be broadcast in 53 countries in Africa, 48 in the Americas, 29 in Asia, 52 in Europe and 17 in Oceania. Cape Town and Western Cape tourism will be leveraging off the event in two ways. The first is to impress Final Draw guests, many of them influential decision-makers, with the city and province’s extraordinarily beautiful and diverse tourism offering, with a view to attract future return visits and lucrative incentive tourism. The other is to make the most of the massive media exposure the Final Draw will earn the destination.

“We want viewers across the globe to be swept off their feet by the iconic footage of our destination, and ensure that they include Cape Town and the Western Cape in their 2010 travel itineraries,” said Calvyn Gilfellan, CEO of Cape Town and the Western Cape’s tourism destination marketing organisation, Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU).

“This makes it the perfect time to further roll out our 2010 tourism marketing campaign, ‘Beyond the 90 Minutes’, inspiring 2010 visitors and locals to experience Cape Town and the Western Cape’s eclectic travel mix - beyond the 90 minutes of the football match. We encourage visitors to follow one or more of six funky, football-themed travel itineraries in the Western Cape’s tourism regions: Cape Town, Cape Winelands, Cape Overberg, Cape Garden Route & Klein Karoo, Cape Karoo and the Cape West Coast,” said Itumeleng Pooe, CTRU’s Executive Manager: Domestic & International Marketing, responsible for 2010.

Illustrating the fun and endless possibilities for travelers in Cape Town and the Western Cape, CTRU filmed a collection of documentary-style short videos of more than 30 fans from 17 countries undertaking road trips across the province. Diving with sharks and crocodiles, riding quad bikes, horses and ostriches, enjoying the stunning views and African hospitality, playing golf, giant chess or a game of pick-up footie with the locals – these and dozens of other road trip experiences were captured in real time as enjoyed by fans from Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, USA, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Angola, Russia, Japan and Australia.

The fans represent the ‘Beyond the 90 Minutes’ campaign’s core markets, and different age and interest groups such as youngsters, business executives, 30-somethings, 40-plussers and ‘empty nesters’. The brand new footage has voice-overs in 10 languages.

he six “Beyond the 90 Minutes’ travel itineraries are: ‘Score an Adrenaline Hat Trick’; ‘Cheer a Killer Pass On and Off the Field’; ‘When your Craving Demands more than a Burger’; ‘Take in a bit of Cape Culture as your Team goes for Glory’; ‘When the Sound of the Vuvuzela Starts Getting to You’; and ‘Living it up when the Final Whistle Blows’.

“Cape Town and the Western Cape warmly welcomes the FIFA Executive, delegates and media to the southernmost point of Africa for this World Cup extravaganza. For us the Final Draw is more than a trial-run or a dress rehearsal. It’s show time!” added Gilfellan.

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