Zambia Ready to host world Cup Fans

ZAMBIA is ready to host up to ten per cent of the World Cup fans that would be accommodated outside South Africa but is yet to sign any agreement with Match, the firms tasked with grading and signing up for accommodation.

The Government says it is consulting tour operators to determine the number of bed space that can be provided to visiting 2010 World cup fans in South Africa (SA).

South Africa as the host for the 2010 world cup is required to provide 55,000 rooms but can only provide 35,000 rooms that have already been taken up.

This means the 20,000 other fans would have to be accommodated in other countries within the region outside SA

According to South Africa’s Business Day Newspaper, Botswana, Swaziland, Mozambique and Namibia have signed up as official accommodation providers for the tournament with Mauritius being the latest country.

Match, the firm tasked with grading and signing up official accommodation, has already sourced 6,000 rooms from within southern African countries.

In an interview, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Minister, Catherine Namugala, said once consultation were concluded, Government would officially inform South Africa on the number of rooms that Zambia could provide the visiting fans.

Ms Namugala also encouraged local tour operators to create linkages with South Africa.

“We feel that the route to South Africa can end in Lusaka and Livingstone if properly organised or packaged,” she said.

She said Zambia was ready to offer up to 10 per cent of the required bed spaces outside South Africa once consultations were concluded with tour operators.

She said provision of bed space was the work of operators and Government would play its role to smoothen visitors’ arrival through issuance of visas and immigration clearance.

Ms Namugala said Government would waive all visa requirements before the actual event in South Africa to allow as many visitors as possible into Zambia.

Last week Saturday, South Africa launched its official 2010 marketing campaign that is expected to reach 600 million people between now and kick-off.