March 2010

Business, trade and tourism in Southern African countries must be ready to host visitors ahead, during and after 2010 FIFA World Cup™. RETOSA Marketing and Communications Director Kwakye Donkor appealed to locals to not heed pessimistic suggestions that Southern Africa would not benefit from the mega-event. “Thousands of people will be crossing our borders to and from South Africa, and we should be ready to host them in whatever context they may need us. The World Cup is a five-week event in which many visitors may choose to travel across the borders between games. Countries must pursue opportunities to market their tourism attractions aggressively in South Africa during that time – not only to lure tourists during the World Cup but also to entice them to return for further exploration.”

Member countries are encouraged to work with RETOSA to ensure that they draw maximum benefit from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “While we are 14 individual countries, we are one region offering memorable experiences that can only add to the soccer extravaganza.”

RETOSA welcomes South Africa Tourism’s new CEO, Ms Thandiwe Sylvia January-Mclean, who took up her new position on 1 January 2010.

January-Mclean has returned from Europe where she was the South African Ambassador to Portugal, a position in which she excelled, particularly in light of significant growth in trade between Portugal and South Africa during her term as ambassador there.

RETOSA Executive Director Francis Mfune said that in addition to the mammoth task of promoting South Africa to international visitors, January-McClean was expected to contribute to the bigger picture in Southern Africa. “As a major gateway to the RETOSA member countries, South Africa’s success is essential to the success of the region. We look forward to working with Ms January-McClean and wish her all the best in her new position.”

Soccer fans wanting tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ should buy their tickets as soon as possible to ensure seeing their teams in action.

According to FIFA.com, two-thirds of available tickets had been sold by the end of the third ticketing sales phase, which concluded with a random draw for oversubscribed matches on 1 February.

The next ticketing sales phase, from 9 February to 7 April, will see more than 400 000 tickets made available on a first-come, first-served basis via www.fifa.com/2010 or in First National Bank branches (in South Africa only).

Interest has increased significantly since the Final Draw in December, with major applications from South African residents as well as the US, UK, Australia, Mexico, Germany and Brazil. Increased interest was also noted from South Africa’s neighbours Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia.

While tickets will be available over the counter from ticketing centres in each host city from 15 April onwards, World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO Danny Jordaan has urged fans to not wait that long, as tickets may be sold out.

Ticketing call centres, assisting fans with enquiries and applications, will be open during the fourth sales phase in South Africa and abroad. The hotline number for international customers is 0041445832010, and for domestic customers 0831232010

Angola remains one of Africa’s most promising tourism and investment destinations, despite a challenging Africa Cup of Nations tournament – mostly as a result of matters beyond the country’s control.

RETOSA Executive Director Francis Mfune said Angola was one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with a budding tourism industry. “Situated next to the sparkling Atlantic Ocean, Angola offers unspoiled beaches and excellent water sport locations while the capital, Luanda, is gaining reputation for its vibrant night life. These areas are far removed from where the Togo bus attack happened and is very safe for tourists and business people.

“While emphasis was understandably on the tragic deaths of the soccer crew in the attack on the Togo team bus near the border, it is important to point out that the entire AFCON tournament at all three venues was without any incident – offering thousands of internationals excellent service, facilities and accommodation in a safe and secure environment,” said Mfune.

The AFCON also marked the launch of the SADC 2010 Investment Promotion Strategy, which was announced by SADC deputy Executive Secretary Eng. João Samuel Caholo at a SADC-sponsored gala dinner for investors, businessmen, government representatives and stakeholders.

A marketing tool designed to serve as symbolic passport to 14 Southern African countries, will be promoting travel in the region over the next year while efforts continue towards a single Univisa for tourists in the region.

Forming part of an extensive marketing and communication programme initiated by the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA) and endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the marketing document was launched during the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola in January and will be distributed free of charge to international travellers at tourism offices, airports and trade shows in Southern Africa.

RETOSA Chairperson and Democratic Republic of Congo National Tourism Office Director General, Ms Bertha Akashi Osako, said that while the passport was only a promotional and information tool and held no legal tender, it represented a bigger, long-term vision of the organisation for a single visa for tourists. “The organisation believes that a Univisa travel document, similar to the Schengen visa in Europe, will improve travel and tourism throughout the region as it could ultimately mean that tourists would travel freely within member countries, requiring no individual visa per country. However, the process to incorporate member countries is complicated and will take an indeterminable time as each individual country’s issues are addressed,” said Osako.

RETOSA Executive Director Francis Mfune said the tourism sector in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with the relevant SADC public sector institutions, was championing the introduction of the Univisa. “Practical and legislative aspects for implementing the Univisa are being addressed in each member country and in the region, and updates on the official status of the overall initiative will be communicated accordingly. Meanwhile, the promotional passport offers at-a-glance information on each of the 14 member countries as well as travel tips and visa requirements, as well as the transfrontier conservation areas and a list of 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites situated in the region.”

An optional tear-off page, containing personal information, is linked to a competition and will be used for research purposes.

This newsletter will regularly feature attractions within our region – 14 great places in 14 different countries in every edition.

The ones you have to see:

• Angola – Featuring ocean, river and inland habitat for numerous species of wildlife and birds, Kissama National Park offers rewarding experiences in a developing reserve.
• Botswana – See wildlife and birds close-up at the world’s largest inland delta, the Okavango Delta.
• Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – The Congo River is the deepest river in the world, with the second-largest flow in the world, and is the second-longest in Africa with tributaries flowing through the second-largest rain forest in the world.
• Lesotho – The Katse Dam is the highest dam in Africa with spectacular views in the Malibamatso Valley.
• Madagascar – Take a walk down Avenue du Baobab at Morondava where a lane of Baobab trees offers shade and brilliant photographic opportunities.
• Malawi – The third largest lake in Africa, Lake Malawi’s tropical waters are habitat to more species of fish than any other lake on earth.
• Mauritius – Le Morne Brabant is a World Heritage Site boasting a peninsula featuring a high, single standing rock with historic caves and a surrounding lagoon.
• Mozambique – Ilha de Mozambique is a World Heritage Site and a former Portuguese trading post, boasting 16th to 19th century stone buildings.
• Namibia – At 80 million years, the Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world and the only one that is home to elephant, rhino, lion and giraffe as well as earth’s oldest living plants Welwitschia mirabilis.
• South Africa – Take a cable car trip up Cape Town’s unique Table Mountain, enjoy beautiful scenery and scrumptious food at restaurants.
• Swaziland – The picturesque, lush green Ezulwini Valley is the homeland of Swazi royalty, while nearby Malkerns Valley is renowned for its handicrafts.
• Tanzania – Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and the highest peak in Africa.
• Zambia and Zimbabwe – One of the Natural Wonders of the World, the spectacular Victoria Falls borders these fascinating countries, offering a wide range of activities on the Zambezi River, on both sides of the magnificent waterfalls.

Named for Africa’s highest mountain, which dominates the scenery on this race, the 8th Kilimanjaro Marathon takes place on 28 February 2010. The increasingly popular 42.2km and 21.1km events start and end in the town of Moshi and proceed through smallholder farms, villages, towns, plantations and forest. The finishing line at Moshe Stadium is an unforgettable, atmospheric festival of local music, food and drinks. See www.kilimanjaromarathon.com for travel arrangements and more info.

RETOSA and Boundless Southern Africa will be featuring regional tourism investment opportunities at the 2010 African investor Pan-African Tourism Investment Summit from 15-17 February 2010, where top class investors are expected to discuss vital issues that impact travel and tourism investments in the region.

Celebrated from mid February into March, the Marula Festival in Swaziland involves the presentation of harvested fruit and marula beer from each household to the Swazi Royal Family. Swazi subjects are only allowed to drink their beer once they have presented their offering. www.welcometoswaziland.com

Meetings Africa, taking place on 24 to 26 February at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, is Africa’s top business tourism exhibition. Showcasing products and services from across the continent, Meetings Africa runs alongside the United World Tourism Organisation/South Africa Summit on Tourism, Sport and Mega-events – a forum considering the impact of mega-events on the tourism industry.

Some of the world’s most spectacular tourist attractions are in Southern Africa’s Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). Designed to accommodate the natural migration patterns of animals and indigenous peoples, TFCAs straddle two or more international borders and are managed by government authorities.

TFCAs have also been earmarked for tourism development and several investment opportunities are available to private investors and operators.

This issue features the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which straddles the borders between South Africa and Botswana. Consisting of the former Gemsbok National Park in Botswana and the former Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa, Kgalagadi includes the largest expanse of continuous sand mass in the world and is home to the traditional Khomani San people and unique animals and birds.

Investment opportunities in Kgalagadi include exclusive, luxury lodges and a two-day 4X4 trail with facilities. Visit www.boundlesssa.com for more information.

Designed to preserve cultural and natural heritage, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) encourages the identification, protection and preservation of sites around the world that are considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

Southern Africa is proud to have 38 such sites in 12 of its member countries. This issue features the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Boasting 790 000 hectares across the North-Kivu and Orientale Provinces, Virunga comprises diverse habitats and is home to the critically endanged mountain gorilla. Ranging from swampland, steppes and even snowfields at an altitude of over 5000 metres to lava plains and savannahs on the slopes of volcanoes, the Park provides habitat for a wide range of species including some 20 000 hippopotamuses and several species of migrating birds.