Neighboring nations must do more to capitalize on South African World Cup
Published February 25, 2010
While the bulk of the economic bonanza that accompanies the World Cup will naturally accrue to the host nation - South Africa - that country's neighbors could be missing out on a golden opportunity.
Strategic marketing efforts to entice teams - particularly large-market teams like England, Brazil, France, and Italy - to make their World Cup camps in neighboring nations have not paid dividends, according to Kizito Sikuka of AllAfrica.com.
The neighboring countries could have used such a success, Sikuka writes, "as a springboard for future marketing strategies to attract more fans and tourists to the country. But with little chance of southern Africa hosting some of the teams, the region's remaining hope is to intensify if not employ new marketing strategies as well as focus more on the thousands of soccer fans and tourists expected to come to South Africa for the tournament."
Preparations for the tournament are still incomplete, ESPN reports, even though just 108 days remain until the opening match. "If the question is 'could we host the World Cup tomorrow morning?' the answer is 'no','' FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said this week.