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), not to mention the media exposure it will generate for Cape Town and the Western Cape province of South Africa as a travel destination.

“The Final Draw, which will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on December 4, 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,” says Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism.

Cape Town and Western Cape tourism plan to leverage 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 tourism offering, with a view to attract 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,” says 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,” says Itumeleng Pooe, CTRU’s Executive Manager: Domestic and International Marketing, responsible for 2010.

CTRU has filmed a collection of short documentary-style 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-plusers and ‘empty nesters’. The brand new footage, with voice-overs in 10 languages, has just been posted on YouTube (www.youtube.com/tourismcapetown) and other channels to market the destination. “This is all part of helping fans and travellers to connect in a more immediate and meaningful way with one another and the destination,” says Pooe.

“Cape Town and the Western Cape warmly welcome 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!” concludes Gilfellan.