Kruger Park Becomes Match Ville for 2010 World Cup

The Kruger National Park has recently beenHow is it going to work at the Kruger Park?
selected as one of the six official Match VilleDuet to its excellent reputation amongst foreign
locations in South Africa. The other five Matchtourists, it would’ve been a big mistake not to
Ville locations are in Cape Town, Johannesburg,add the Kruger Park in South Africa to the list of
Durban, The Garden Route and Rustenburg. TheMatch Villes currently allocated around the country.
Kruger Park as usual, promises to provide its local3 of the Kruger Parks Southern Marula
and international visitors with an unforgettableregion’s rest camps will serve as the bases
stay during this magical time in South Africa.for the influx of World Cup fans streaming in
What exactly is a Match Ville?from overseas. Skukuza, Pretoriuskop and Berg
FIFA were extremely concerned about theen Dal are the camps where the international
availability of accommodation and transport leadingMatch Ville visitors will be located. These camps
up to the World cup in South Africa. Hence thewere strategically chosen as they are nearest to
idea of Match Villes was created. The officialthe park gates which will allow for easy
Match Ville document created by MATCH Eventmovement on Match days. The Match Ville camps
services (the people responsible for ensuring aonly make up about 30% of the total available
smoothly run world cup in SA) states theKruger Park accommodation.
objectives of the initiative as being the following:
- To promote ticket sales to international fansMr. William Mabasa (HOD: Public Relations)
- To guarantee best use of the availablewelcomed the idea of the park being an official
accommodation inventories and transportMatch Ville but stated that it was still important
capacities in South Africa and Mauritiusthat the Kruger park didn’t turn it’s back
- To distribute the Product through the networkon it’s local visitors who look forward to
of Participating Tour Operators who are able totaking a Kruger Park Safari during this time, which
create packages for international clients by addingis why 70% of the park has remained open to
international air sectors and other travel servicesthe local public. With schools being off during the
- To deliver ‘follow your team’entire World Cup period, we can expect the
accommodation and transportation services inKruger Park hotels to be abuzz with tourists and
each MATCH Ville regardless of match venue for:excited football fans.
Group Stage matches (i.e. matches 1 -48), RoundApart from the buzz that that will be saturating
of 16 matches (matches 49 –56), Match Villethe fresh Kruger Park air during the World Cup,
packagesone can still expect to enjoy the usual Kruger
A typical Match Ville package would include thePark Tours and game drives that are on offer all
following useful items on your itinerary:year round. If you want to absorb some of the
- Airport arrival and departure transfervibe and magic that this World Cup promises to
- A match-day transferprovide us with, then don’t miss out on this
- A match-day activity and / or meal / snackopportunity and book your favourite Kruger Park
- 5-nights stay in named Hotel or Non-Hotellodge in 2010!
selected by PTO from the MATCH Ville Brochure