Too late for World Cup holiday

Johannesburg - It took only two hours for all the available accommodation at SA National Parks (Sanparks) for the winter holidays next year to be snapped up by South Africans after bookings for this period opened.

This is according to Glenn Phillips, manager for tourism and marketing at Sanparks.

On Friday Phillips responded to questions as to why many tour operators were struggling to make bookings for next year.

In its strategy for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, Sanparks decided months ago to continue making 70% of its facilities available to South Africans during school holidays.

An agreement was reached with Match, Fifa's accommodation agency, that the remainder would be put at the disposal of soccer tourists over the six weeks of the tournament.

This was based on the fact that 80% of Sanparks' visitors are traditionally local tourists, said Phillips.

Bookings can be made a year in advance.

The fact that the parks were so quickly fully booked is nothing new. The group's parks are fully booked for this holiday period every year.

Sanparks' average 88% occupancy is higher than the rest of the hospitality market - a sign that a holiday here has increased in popularity during the recession.

Phillips attributed this to a combination of factors.

In the first place there are more people looking for cheaper holidays.

Many South Africans in this group would normally travel overseas.

Sake24 learned from a tour operator that several are struggling to make bookings for tour groups because many parks and hotels have made their entire "inventory" available to Match.

Phillips said there are three Kruger National Park rest camps - Berg-en-Dal, Pretoriuskop and Skukuza - at Match's full disposal to facilitate logistical arrangements.

"This is to prevent ordinary tourists from mixing with tourists that are here for the first time, and also to make it possible for visitors to travel to and from tournaments."

- Sake24.com

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