16 October 2007

By Mogale City Reporter

MOGALE CITY is organising a major workshop to help equip local establishments to take advantage of tourism opportunities presented by the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.

The Mogale City Tourism Accommodation Stakeholder Workshop will be held on 26 October at the Civic Centre. It is part of Mogale City's drive to position itself as a key destination for thousands of football fans expected in the country for the sporting spectacular.

A representative of Match, a company appointed by Fifa to oversee the provision of accommodation, tickets and IT-solutions World Cup, will deliver the keynote address. The speaker will brief delegates on Fifa requirements for the hosting of visitors in 2010.

According to Doctor Mdluli, a tourism specialist in Mogale City, speakers will include representatives from the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, the Tourism Enterprise Programme, the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, the City's town planning department, the provincial department of sports, recreation, arts and culture, and the Gauteng Tourism Authority.

"The idea is to position Mogale City as a major tourist attraction for 2010 and beyond. People are not aware of the opportunities and benefits of 2010."

A range of topics will be discussed, such as how to get your establishment graded, the City's requirements and procedures for rezoning, and what assistance is available for emerging small, medium and micro enterprises, Mdluli says.

"Some people don't even know that we have an office that registers companies right here in Mogale City. They don't have to go to the Department of Trade and Industry in Pretoria for that."

What makes Mogale an attractive tourism destination for 2010 travellers is its close proximity to host cities, says Sipho Solfafa, the City's project manager for 2010 and beyond.

"Even though we are not a host city, we need to co-ordinate and maximise the preparedness of establishments around Mogale City, making sure that they meet Fifa requirements."

It could also leverage its proximity to Lanseria Airport, which has been earmarked as an entry point into the country for Fifa delegates, says Solfafa.

"We will make sure that Mogale City is not just a transit point, but becomes one of the gateways to 2010 venues."

Solfafa says the municipality intends making maximum use of its well-established tourism infrastructure. "We have the Magalies Meander, Misty Hills in Muldersdrift and, of course, the Cradle of Humankind. We'll be marketing them aggressively."

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