Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa’s accommodation sector will receive a R170-million cash injection to prepare for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk told a media briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday: ”For the first time ever non-hotel accommodation such as national park accommodation, lodges, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts will also be contracted.
”You will see properly graded hotels and lodges coming up in Soweto and Mamelodi.”
The programme has been facilitated by a partnership between Business Trust and the department under the Tourism Enterprise Programme (TEP).
TEP will host a number of workshops countrywide promoting SMMEs.
Meanwhile, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Thursday between the department, March (the company contracted by Fifa to look at the World Cup accommodation requirements), the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa and local organising committees.
Jaime Byron, chairperson of March, said the signing of the memorandum outlined the roles and responsibilities of the grading council.
He said South African’s preparation for the World Cup was impressive. ”The effort [I have seen] from South Africa is truly a new experience for me and I am a World Cup [organising team member] veteran of six years.
Accommodation was central to the success of 2010, he said.
Department statistics on the number of beds required in each city were outlined. Johannesburg needed between 76 000 and 110 000 beds while Cape Town and Durban needed 21 900 and 32 900 beds respectively.
Bloemfontein, Nelspruit and Polokwane were named as cities that needed assistance in meeting their targets.
”This is where TEP can help,” said Van Schalkwyk.
Nearly 3,5-million people are expected to attend the 2010 World Cup. Van Schalkwyk said transport to get fans and officials to the event was also being dealt with.
”We will look into maybe making more planes available on match days.”
A proposition to have designated driving lanes to two stadiums had not been finalised. — Sapa