30 July 2009
Three visitor information centres were launched in Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) this week, to ensure that tourists arriving in the city for the 2010 Fifa World Cup get the best information and advice.
The three centres are based at Port Elizabeth Airport, Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World, and the lighthouse at the Donkin Reserve.
Similar centres are planned for other cities around the country, including Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg and Nelspruit.
These one-stop shops will supply tourists with information on a range of services, including accommodation, tours, vehicle hire, entertainment, adventure and travel advice.
Developed at a cost of R6.7-million, the centres are one of South Africa’s World Cup legacy projects, aimed at benefiting the country’s citizens and visitors well beyond 2010.
Visitors to the centres will be able to make use of user-friendly touch screens linked to a central database of tourism products. They will also have access to free internet and an online booking system.
“The centres create easy access and awareness of tourism-related facilities and attractions within an area,” Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk said at the launch of the centres on Thursday.
Van Schalkwyk said that more than 450 000 visitors were expected to arrive in South Africa for the World Cup, and the visitor centres would play a pivotal role in ensuring that the country delivered a world-class event.
Source: BuaNews
