| With the FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament starting | | | | There also exists a huge opportunity to the |
| in South Africa in June 2010, there is an enormous | | | | entrepreneur tour operators, especially those that |
| opportunity for the hospitality industry to utilize internet | | | | operate in the townships such as Soweto, south of |
| marketing to boost their revenues. It is expected that | | | | Johannesburg. Soweto, now world-famous, is a vibrant |
| there will be more than 350,000 visitors coming to | | | | city with hundreds of places of interest. Some of |
| South Africa over the 4 week tournament and this | | | | these include the Apartheid Museum, Hector Pieterson |
| means a cash injection into the economy of around | | | | Memorial, Mandela Family Museum and, of course, a |
| $1.3 billion. A large chunk of this money will go into | | | | vibrant and exciting nightlife at the famous "shebeens" |
| accommodation, restaurants, pubs and sightseeing. | | | | or taverns throughout Soweto. This market niche |
| South Africa has always offered outstanding | | | | presents excellent internet marketing opportunities to |
| hospitality services. The standards of the hotels, | | | | the small tour operators. |
| restaurants and pubs is extremely high and, being a | | | | South Africa is a beautiful country with thousands of |
| sport-crazy country, coverage of the soccer will be | | | | places of interest. The locals are extremely proud of |
| virtually everywhere. The sports-bar concept has been | | | | their country and are well-known for their warm |
| in existence in South Africa for a number of decades | | | | hospitality. It is widely known amongst South Africans |
| now, and almost every pub has television coverage of | | | | that tourism is a key industry and it represents |
| sporting events on view at all times. | | | | economic growth and employment. It also give South |
| The smaller accommodation facilities such as motels | | | | Africans the opportunity to showcase the country |
| and bed & breakfast establishments are possibly | | | | they are so proud of as well as the massive social |
| not as well marketed as the larger, well-known hotel | | | | changes they have undergone over the past 15 years. |
| groups and this presents an excellent opportunity to | | | | With the exchange rate well in the favour of the visitor, |
| the small business owner to sell their establishment on | | | | their spending power in South Africa makes it a |
| the internet. By utilising the services of effective | | | | worthwhile experience. Whether the visitors is buying |
| internet marketing consultants, they can compete with | | | | the local currency with dollars, euros or sterling, they |
| the established groups on the internet global village. | | | | are getting an excellent return and will have great |
| There are always those visitors to countries who | | | | spending power. This will allow visitors to buy local |
| prefer to avoid the "tommy tourist" packages and like | | | | products and take advantage of the huge curio |
| to do their own thing, such as hiring a car, doing their | | | | industry in the country. |
| own sightseeing and going to restaurants and pubs | | | | The internet marketing opportunities available for the |
| recommended by locals. These visitors usually don't | | | | hospitality industry in South Africa are unlimited over |
| enjoy the package tour concept and often prefer to | | | | the next few months to the FIFA World Cup Soccer |
| avoid large crowds. This presents a niche that the | | | | tournament and the best time to start a campaign is |
| smaller businesses can target in their internet marketing | | | | now. |
| campaign. | | | | |