CAPE Town and the Western Cape should concentrate on combining the 2010 World Cup with what the destination has to offer any potential tourists, rather than focusing entirely on the soccer tourist. This was one of the recommendations of 2010-focused tourism research recently commissioned by Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU).
The research was commissioned by CTRU and focused on two aspects, the travel profile of the soccer tourist, the soccer markets and experiences of previous hosts of large scale international sporting events and secondly, the 2010 expectations of Western Cape citizens.
It showed that when hosting a Fifa World Cup, most destinations experiences 'crowding out' effects. This means that regular tourists that would have visited the destination during that time did not due to the event. The research also showed that the 2010 tour operator programme, co-ordinated by Fifa's official booking agent, Match, would have a large influence on the way tourist packages are put together and the places World Cup tourists will visit during the tournament. It suggests that the next phase of 2010 research should assess Cape Town and Western Cape tour operators expectations and comprehension of the Fifa tour operator programme, as well as what their planning and projections in this regard entail.
Speaking at a Cape Town and Western Cape trade and media networking lunch, Calvyn Gilfellan, ce of CTRU, said: 'It remains vital that all our tour operators and tourism partners are fully informed about the nature and potential of Match's programmes. 2010 information will continue to take up full agendas on Cape Town and Western Cape tourism platforms such as today's as well as various road shows and a provincial tourism conference we're planning for September this year."
