Tuesday 28 January 2020

Internet Marketing for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – Part 1

As the biggest single-code sporting event in terms of television audience in the world, the FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament is held every four years.  Bigger even than the Olympic Games, this year’s tournament is the 19th since it began.  Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, is delighted as he has always dreamed of bringing this prestigious tournament to Africa.


The World Cup commences on 9th June 2010 and takes place over the next four weeks with the final match being held in Johannesburg on 11th July.  Billions of viewers around the world will watch the games, making it the most watched sport on television in the world.  The worldwide interest in the World Cup is massive and this makes it on outstanding internet marketing opportunity.

It is a known fact that South Africa, the hosting country, will benefit enormously from the FIFA 2010 World Cup.  More than 129,000 jobs have been created, contributing roughly $3 billion to the country’s GDP.  Out of this, $1 billion will go to the government in taxes.  Also, it is estimated that about 350,000 people will travel to South Africa for the World Cup and will spend a further $1.3 billion.  This is most important for internet marketing.

About 3 million tickets will be sold and there will be hundreds of public viewing venues with giant screen televisions for those unable to get tickets to the games.  Visitors will be able to travel, go on sightseeing tours and visit world famous heritage sites such as Table Mountain, the Cradle of Humankind and Robben Island.

South Africans are proud of their warm hospitality and the nightlife will be a major attraction for visitors.  There are nightclubs, bars, wine bars and “shebeens”, the local name for informal taverns, all of which are a great way to have fun.  The hospitality and travel industries will be a major focus for internet marketers as these activities will be the busiest for the visitors.

Visitors to South Africa will be making use of the internet to find places of interest and venues for enjoyment.  This is why effective internet marketing for businesses in these niches is necessary to take advantage of these great opportunities.  Strong campaigns managed by internet marketers can ensure that various places of interest such as bed & breakfasts, hotels, pubs, sightseeing venues etc. get the online exposure they need to make money.

The 19th FIFA World Cup tournament is an outstanding opportunity for hospitality, retail, travel and entertainment businesses to make their mark in the South African economy.

In Part 2, we will look at the hospitality industry and how to use internet marketing to increase revenue during the 2010 World Cup.

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