Football Finals! Netherlands vs Spain

Well we're down to the wire with the 2010 World Cup Final this Sunday at 20h30 at Soccer City! Netherlands face Spain in the finals and Uruguay meet Germany in the 3rd-4th play-off on Saturday evening in Port Elizabeth at 20h30.

What a tournament it has been, with some incredible football, phenomenal fans, some highs & some lows depending on which team you have been supporting. Without doubt the excitement and the vibe and the "gees" have been palpable all over South Africa (and in fact the world!).

Cape Point Route has never felt so proud of South Africa and bing South African. We have successfully hosted one of the greatest shows on earth with the final blitz happening this weekend. It is so hard to imagine what we will all do without the football fever on our doorstep! We do know that the world has watched and taken notice of who we are and what we can do and it is without exception that every visitor we have spoken to is planning to return to our country and explore more with their families and friends. So many myths about Africa, African efficiency, African safety, African people and the African landscape have been dismissed with the reality that it is not wild, dangerous, ridiculously deadly, primitive, scary, crazy or mad.

South Africa does have WILD beauty (if you didn't go to Cape Point you have to come back!), DANGEROUS progress (did you see our stadiums, the Gautrain, the roads!); RIDICULOUS luxury (our hotels, resorts and restaurants are world class); DEADLY wildlife (go on safari!); PRIMITIVE pleasures; SCARY contrasts (open space to crowded city centres); CRAZY scenery; MAD locals (take one look at the fans!) and yes we do claim to be a World in One Country.

Well done SA, and well done to Cape Town. For those of you who don't know Cape Town has scooped another prestigious honour at the World Travel Awards (WTA), being named Africa’s Leading Destination for a third year running. The awards, dubbed the travel industry’s equivalent to the Oscars, were held in Johannesburg on the 7th July 2010.

Cape Town Tourism CEO Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold says, “These awards are an incredible endorsement; being recognised by the industry makes all the hard work we put into hosting the FIFA World Cup™ in Cape Town so worthwhile.

“We do believe that Cape Town is one of the greatest cities to live, visit, study and invest in. It’s a place of a lifetime, and it just keeps on getting better. We are looking forward to marketing Cape Town beyond the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and we are committed to working with all stakeholders in order to double the economic impact of tourism for the city by 2020.”

IMAGES:
Taken of Dutch supporters and friends in the Cape Town sea of Orange!