Zimbabwe will again try to deal with MATCH, Fifa's accommodation company, for the country to be listed among countries capable of providing accommodation to visiting 2010 World Cup soccer fans.
Shingi Munyeza, chairman of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, said negotiations with MATCH had collapsed after Zimbabwe disagreed with its cancellation policy on clients failed to fulfil reservations made for hotel accommodation.
Munyeza said Match insisted that people who failed to pitch up for reservations made with accommodation providers would not be penalised, which Zimbabwe disagreed with.
Guest houses, lodges and other decent accommodation would be allowed to render the service after it was realised that hotels alone would not be able to meet demand for accommodation next year.
SADC countries are expected to cash in on the 2010 Fifa World Cup, considering visiting teams would need time to acclimatise in countries with similar weather patterns as host country South Africa. This was particularly the case, as visiting football teams would not be allowed to enter South Africa 10 days before the tournament began.
Football fans are likely follow their teams to watch them in training and this meant more demand for accommodation in South Africa's neighbouring countries.
Against this background Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana should not be ignored as countries that would be expected to absorb South Africa's spill over of demand for accommodation, said Munyeza.
