As the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ enters its home stretch, South African President Jacob Zuma has said he believes the legacy of hosting the tournament will benefit the African continent for decades.

Indeed, most South African tourism operators viewed the World Cup as an ideal opportunity to sell the country as a destination to foreign travellers long after the games are over, and it seems they won’t be disappointed.

The positive global media coverage South Africa has received during the 2010 World Cup has exceeded all expectations and looks set to benefit the country’s tourism industry long after the tournament ends.

According to the Department of Tourism, the World Cup has showcased the country to an international audience of approximately 32 billion viewers and introduced South Africa to non-traditional markets in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia. Tourism Minister, Martinus van Schalkwyk, recently said the World Cup was not an end in itself for the tourism sector but a milestone in the industry’s growth trajectory.

“We were always confident that our country and our people would show the world what a superb destination we offer, and yet the overwhelming positive international coverage has surpassed even our most optimistic expectations.
“The goodwill that has been unlocked cannot be measured in monetary terms,” van Schalkwyk said.