The City plans to host exhibitions at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and Soccerex in Johannesburg, give presentations at international conferences, develop media support services and attract large international media to Cape Town to market 2010 FIFA World Cup™ opportunities and facilitate industry development.
Thembinkosi Siganda, the City’s Director: Economic and Human Development, explains the City’s strategy: “The City provides funding and strategic guidance to sector bodies (special purpose vehicles that have been established by the Provincial Government of the Western Cape in conjunction with the City) to facilitate industry development through sector specific interventions. These interventions are intended to enhance sustainable growth and competitiveness in identified sectors, which contribute to the city’s economy. The City is collaborating with these sector bodies to market Cape Town as a competitive destination ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ opportunities.”
These sector bodies, which include the Cape Film Commission (CFC), Cape Town Boat Building and Technology Initiative, Business Process enabling South Africa (BPeSA) Western Cape, Cape Town Tourism, Oil & Gas, the Cape Information and Technology Initiative, and the Western Cape Investment & Trade Promotion Agency (Wesgro), submit reports on a quarterly basis to the City. These reports highlight the activities they have undertaken to promote the priority sectors.
In the latest reports covering the period October to December 2009, the CFC reported that they had, during this period, provided strategic and logistical support to Cape Media Services to, amongst others, maximise media exposure for Cape Town and deliver efficient media support services. Cape Media Services was launched in partnership with the City and the Provincial Government of the Western Cape.
The CFC in conjunction with Cape Media Services showcased their production services and locations available for filming during the World Broadcasters meeting in December at the CTICC. This meeting was attended by at least 400 broadcasters from across the world. By doing this, the CFC has successfully managed to convince the BBC to base its main studio in Cape Town prior to and during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. This means that they will showcase Cape Town to at least 200 million viewers. The BBC will procure services from local production companies and other related broadcast services.
The CFC also provided content to Cape Town TV and FIFA TV to showcase sport, arts and culture on the Cape Flats and took various broadcast delegations on tours of Cape Town. This has been undertaken in order to market the city’s readiness for the World Cup and beyond.
The Cape Craft and Design Institute (CCDI) has been promoting 2010 products made by local crafters for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
The CCDI participated in the Small Business Week, the Soccerex 2009 Expo and the December Long Street Final Draw Festival to showcase 2010 related products. In addition, the CCDI achieved media coverage by being interviewed on local and international media. This world-wide media exposure has been providing valuable marketing opportunities for locally produced soccer inspired products and their creators.
Apart from engaging with various stakeholders, the CCDI also focussed on preparing craft producers and informing them of FIFA guidelines by holding briefing sessions in the rural areas in the Stellenbosch and Eden District Municipalities and producing a monthly newsletter on 2010 updates.
Wesgro has been promoting the Western Cape as a lucrative destination of global business with exhibitions at Soccerex 2009 in Johannesburg, the World Economic Forum at the CTICC as well as hosting a 2010 themed investor breakfast at the CTICC in addition to participating in the annual ICT exhibition in the CTICC.
Wesgro has not only been focussing on attracting investors, but has also been extending invitations to non-accredited journalists to visit the Western Cape during the 2010 World FIFA Cup™. This is done with the view of showcasing priority sectors as well as 2010 initiatives to the world.
Raising awareness around the City’s readiness for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ is also one of Wesgro’s priorities, which is why they have been working towards publishing the ‘Invest in Western Cape’ publication. This will feature the City’s marketing collateral and is scheduled to be launched in March this year.
Cape Information & Technology Initiative (CITI) during this period has also been instrumental in marketing Cape Town’s readiness for the World Cup. CITI attended the Third Global Forum on Business Incubation in Brazil in October 2009, where they marketed the City’s 2010 readiness. CITI has also continued running the City’s 2010 readiness DVD at the Bandwith Barn premises.
“It is not only the tourist industry that will benefit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The eyes of the world will be focused on South Africa during the year which enables our promotional bodies to better market the Cape Town brand. In addition, people with business interests will be among the visitors coming to Cape Town to watch the games which provides local businesses with the chance to showcase their products and services as well as to establish contacts for more long term relationships. It is the responsibility of the various sector support bodies to be the conduit to help local businesses access the business opportunities that will result from holding the world’s greatest soccer tournament in our country,” says Alderman Felicity Purchase, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Development and Tourism.




