The upcoming World Cup will have short and long term benefits for South Africa as up to 350,000 fans arrive for the tournament, President Jacob Zuma has claimed.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Indaba 2010 trade show in Durban on Saturday, the South African president said the football tournament, which kicks off next month, will create 3.6 million jobs in the country.
After six year’s worth of preparations for the event, the country is now ready to reap the rewards. Zuma said: “The World Cup has changed the face of this country.
“Not only has it revitalized our economy, but it has given impetus to infrastructural development and job creation.
“Investments in the tourism industry, infrastructure, airports, information technology and stadiums leaves South Africa poised for massive growth in numerous areas going forward.”
He added: “After the tournament, South Africa will have more skilled people working in tourism and better tourism infrastructure to grow arrivals and foreign direct spending into the economy.
“The World Cup will also deliver about 350,000 more visitors this year that will, in the medium to long term, result in greater repeat visits and word-of-mouth recommendations for the destination.”
The Indaba show is running until Tuesday, providing opportunities for tourism businesses across the whole of Africa to showcase their products.