The number of foreign visitors in South Africa rose by 3.6 percent in 2009, bucking a global downturn in the sector, with slightly more arrivals expected this year partly due to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said Thursday South Africa attracted 9.9 million foreign visitors in 2009 and expects 10 million this year, banking on the soccer tournament Cup to help market the country as a prime tourist destination. “Our status as the FIFA 2010 World Cup host nation has, undoubtedly, played its part in arrivals growth to our destination,” van Schalkwyk said in a statement. “This defies the decline of four percent that the global travel industry experienced last year as traveller markets reeled from the effects of the global financial crisis. I believe it strongly reaffirms the vitality of our tourism industry,” he added. Tourism contributes more than 8 percent to South Africa's economy and the government plans to raise that to more than 10 percent in the next few years. The National Treasury said last month the event should contribute about 0.5 percent to GDP in 2010. Van Schalkwyk said the biggest increase in arrivals last year was from African tourists, followed by South America and Asia. Arrivals from key markets in Europe and North America decreased, but there were already signs of improvement. “Those markets that ended the year in arrivals decline had shown recovery by late in the year,” van Schalkwyk said. Industry officials say the soccer tournament starting in June will attract about 450,000 foreign visitors, but analysts say high crime levels could be a deterrent for fans. Police Commissioner Bheki Cele said last month 41,000 police would be dedicated to World Cup safety and 1.3 billion rand spent on operations and equipment, such as new helicopters, planes and water cannons. Cele said South Africa was working with Interpol to share intelligence on crime and terror threats. ‘Trust the host' FIFA President Sepp Blatter said Friday he has confidence in South Africa's security plans for the 2010 World Cup and urged the world to trust the tournament hosts. Blatter said South Africa proved in recent sporting contests, including last year's Confederations Cup, that it can stage the tournament successfully. He spoke after a two-day security workshop that included World Cup organizing chief Danny Jordaan and team security and police representatives from 29 of the 32 participating nations. “FIFA definitely has trust and confidence in South Africa. We saw that the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was well organized, so now it is time for the whole world to put its trust in South Africa's ability to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” Blatter said. “Security is a matter for the government, and we have received adequate guarantees in this regard, so there is no reason to have any doubts. The FIFA World Cup is about enjoyment, and I am convinced that we will have a wonderful festival in South Africa.” South Africa's National Commissioner of Police Bhekokwakhe Cele was also present in Zurich to outline the host country's preparations for the June 11-July 11 tournament. Jordaan said: “We have successfully hosted other great sporting events in recent years, including the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, and we are certain that this will be the case again in 2010.” On Thursday, South Africa president Jacob Zuma said in London during his official state visit to Britain that South Africa would provide a safe and secure World Cup. South Africa suffers from endemically high crime, including one of the worst homicide rates in the world.
