World can't stop lauding our ubuntu

SIXTEEN days after South Africa successfully hosted the World Cup, South Africa Tourism and the world is still blowing the country's vuvuzela

According to South African Tourism chief executive Thandiwe January-Mclean South Africa has proved to the world just how proud, passionate, competent and friendly South Africans are.

She says tourism is one of South Africa's key revenue earners and the successful staging of the 2010 Fifa World Cup has catapulted the country on to the world stage.

It has proved that the country is more than capable of hosting world-class events and welcoming visitors from all over the world to its shores.

"The World Cup gave South Africa the opportunity to demonstrate ubuntu - the essence of being human and interconnected - by welcoming the world with warmth and friendliness. In true ubuntu-spirit, 184491 volunteers offered their services for the duration of the World Cup," she says.

In addition more than 3,18 million people attended matches at the various stadiums and 500 million viewers per match watched it on television around the world. In this respect the World Cup presented an exceptional opportunity to market South Africa and all it has to offer.

She says knowing that the world's eyes would be on the country, her organisation instituted several campaigns to showcase South Africa to the world and to engender excitement among South Africans.

"Our Fly the Flag campaign, in partnership with the International Marketing Council, government and the Local Organising Committee, focused on instilling national pride in South Africans and encouraging them to be warm hosts.

"And South Africans got it. Reflecting on the tournament, President Jacob Zuma said there were certain things that cannot be bought or created. Key among these for us is the humanity, friendliness and warmth of the South African people," January-Mclean says.

She says as part of its Fly the Flag campaign, on March 2, with 100 days to kickoff, SA Tourism and the International Marketing Council got South Africans out of their offices, into their football jerseys and onto the streets with vuvuzelas, makarapa and flags aloft.

Then there was the diski dance, that got everyone from corporate organisations, celebrities and schools, to the government, president and general public moving to the infectious dance moves based on South Africa's unique soccer style.

Since its activation on SA Tourism's YouTube channel the Diski How To video, which taught the dance steps, has been viewed more than 260000 times and counting.

And SA Tourism's television commercial, which showcases the same dance, has been watched more than 200000 times.

In addition, a Diski Dance Roadshow Challenge saw 180 dancers selected from tertiary institutions around the county to dance at fan fests during the World Cup.

South Africa was also represented at the six Fifa international fan fests in Mexico City, Rio, Berlin, Paris, Sydney and Rome, where it promoted the country through the diski and promotional footage of the country on giant screens.

To extend an unforgettable welcome to tourists, SA Tourism got thousands of citizens to write postcard messages, that were then distributed nationally to top hotels, guest lodges and tour operators, who in turn passed then on to visitors.

January-Mclean says it is clear that South Africans flew the flag for the country and made an enormous effort to welcome visitors.

"So many wonderful stories abound. As a marketing event it will encourage thousands more visitors to our beautiful land in years to come," January Mclean says.

She says the feedback from visitors was amazing.

"An American, Shari Cohen, working in South Africa at the time of the World Cup, wrote in The Huffington Post news website: "As the 2010 Cup slogan goes, "Feel it. It is here." Well, I have felt it, because I am here. Thank you South Africa, for giving me this unexpected gift. I am humbled."