South Africa's Tourism Agency

[Pathfinder]

Here’s why SA Tourism chose to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur instead of your favourite team

South Africa Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo said the proposed almost R1bn deal to partner with Tottenham Hotspur has nothing to do with football but the economic impact of tourism.

www.timeslive.co.za

Here’s why SA Tourism chose to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur instead of your favourite team​

​

03 February 2023 - 09:00
Unathi Nkanjeni

South African Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo says the proposed almost R1bn deal to partner with Tottenham Hotspur has nothing to do with football but the economic impact of tourism.

The agency on Thursday held a press conference to defend its proposed sponsorship deal with the English football club using taxpayer money, saying it will keep money rolling into the country.


News of the proposal was met with angry reaction since it was broken by Daily Maverick, with many South Africans questioning its cost amid load-shedding and crumbling infrastructure.

Speaking to the media, Khumalo said it was nothing new for South African Tourism to spend millions on foreign marketing, as had been done in previous years.

“We are in the business of persuading foreign nationals across 24 markets around the world that we have identified travel to South African and spend money in our economy.

“They bring foreign investment into our country, which creates job support SMMEs, supports young people to come into the sector and drives people with disabilities to have the dignity of a livelihood and recover the economy in general,” said Khumalo.

He said Tottenham Hotspur was chosen because they were the only top performing team that did not have a destination partner.

“This is the doorway for us to be able to access the followers of Premier League football in the UK. We also looked at the audience footprint for the Premier League and the team we are engaging with. The biggest audience is in the UK, which is our biggest international travel market to South African.

“The second biggest audience is in the US, which is our fastest growing international arrivals market, and the rest is Europe and Asia.”

Khumalo said the deal was not a UK-based initiative but it the team is based in the UK.

“Because the games are played throughout the year, it gives us presence on TV throughout the year and gives us marketing platforms throughout the year. We can change our creative and message, make it seasonal and based on what we are selling on the supply side within South Africa.

“This is about the economic impact of tourism. It has nothing to do with football.”

 

[Pathfinder]

https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/s...rs-worth-more-than-rwanda-deal-with-Woolwich/

ActionSA rejects SA Tourism's proposed R1bn sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspur

ActionSA said the proposed R1bn sponsorship deal with English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur using taxpayer money is an expensive PR campaign with questionable benefits.

www.timeslive.co.za

LISTEN | ‘It’s about economic recovery’: SA Tourism on R1bn Spurs partnership

South African Tourism briefed media on Thursday after reports emerged of a proposed three-year sponsorship deal with English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur worth nearly R1bn.

www.timeslive.co.za

Tottenham Hotspur deal ‘irrational, irresponsible, vain’

The government’s decision receives backlash from leaders in the tourism industry

www.timeslive.co.za

SA Tourism conditionally approves R1 billion Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship – but nothing signed yet

SA Tourism defends a controversial sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspur.

businesstech.co.za

 

[GGTH]

I get why this upsets people with the infrastructure issues that South Africa has had, but surely they don't expect all other government agencies to stop spending their allocated budget? Their tourism board was given a certain budget for advertising, and this is what they've chosen to do with it, it's not money taken out of their power plants.

 

[Bobcat goldthwaite]

My brother lives in s.a .. i lived there for 6 years and still visit regurlarly..wonderful country on so many levels ..but its estimated for every 1 rand spent by the s.a goverment 2 rand are stolen through corruption.

 

[Bill Madrid]

Here’s why SA Tourism chose to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur instead of your favourite team

South Africa Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo said the proposed almost R1bn deal to partner with Tottenham Hotspur has nothing to do with football but the economic impact of tourism.

www.timeslive.co.za

Here’s why SA Tourism chose to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur instead of your favourite team​

​

03 February 2023 - 09:00
Unathi Nkanjeni

South African Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo says the proposed almost R1bn deal to partner with Tottenham Hotspur has nothing to do with football but the economic impact of tourism.

The agency on Thursday held a press conference to defend its proposed sponsorship deal with the English football club using taxpayer money, saying it will keep money rolling into the country.


News of the proposal was met with angry reaction since it was broken by Daily Maverick, with many South Africans questioning its cost amid load-shedding and crumbling infrastructure.

Speaking to the media, Khumalo said it was nothing new for South African Tourism to spend millions on foreign marketing, as had been done in previous years.

“We are in the business of persuading foreign nationals across 24 markets around the world that we have identified travel to South African and spend money in our economy.

“They bring foreign investment into our country, which creates job support SMMEs, supports young people to come into the sector and drives people with disabilities to have the dignity of a livelihood and recover the economy in general,” said Khumalo.

He said Tottenham Hotspur was chosen because they were the only top performing team that did not have a destination partner.

“This is the doorway for us to be able to access the followers of Premier League football in the UK. We also looked at the audience footprint for the Premier League and the team we are engaging with. The biggest audience is in the UK, which is our biggest international travel market to South African.

“The second biggest audience is in the US, which is our fastest growing international arrivals market, and the rest is Europe and Asia.”

Khumalo said the deal was not a UK-based initiative but it the team is based in the UK.

“Because the games are played throughout the year, it gives us presence on TV throughout the year and gives us marketing platforms throughout the year. We can change our creative and message, make it seasonal and based on what we are selling on the supply side within South Africa.

“This is about the economic impact of tourism. It has nothing to do with football.”

I wonder if he has any connection to Bongani Khumalo who was briefly on our books in 2010.

Back then we had a few links to SA - Investec, a partnership with SuperSport United (where Bongani came from), pre-season tours...

Plus Pienaar, Mabizela, Quinton Fortune...

 

[ShutUpPatrik]

I wonder if he has any connection to Bongani Khumalo who was briefly on our books in 2010.

Back then we had a few links to SA - Investec, a partnership with SuperSport United (where Bongani came from), pre-season tours...

Plus Pienaar, Mabizela, Quinton Fortune...

Donna Cullen, one of the big wigs on the board, is from South Africa. She's probably a big part in any link.

 

[5purs]

"The money that’s invested in tourism is not the same money that’s required for energy or for fixing potholes," he said in Johannesburg. "There are other departments that are dedicated and are given that mandate by legislation.

"Our legislated mandate is about persuading international people to travel to the country and spend money in our economy. Whether it is through this initiative or any other, that is what we will continue to do until told otherwise."

Khumalo said the 900m rand ($52.5m) investment would result in a projected return of 88 billion rand ($5.1 billion) in foreign spending from tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom and the United States, the country’s two biggest tourism markets.

"It’s a solid business case that has a direct impact into foreign investment that comes into the country."

The proposed deal that was leaked implied that SAT would have kit branding, match-day advertising, interview backdrop branding, stadium hospitality and partnership announcements in addition to training camps in South Africa.

 

[Pathfinder]

South Africa: New Twist in South Africa's Tottenham Hotspur Sponsorship Deal Opens Can of Worms

Lindiwe Sisulu, the Minister of Tourism, distanced herself from the reported R1 billion deal to sponsor Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, which has sparked widespread outrage.

allafrica.com

South Africa: New Twist in South Africa's Tottenham Hotspur Sponsorship Deal Opens Can of Worms​

Harare — Lindiwe Sisulu, the Minister of Tourism, distanced herself from the reported R1 billion deal to sponsor Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, which has sparked widespread outrage.

This comes after SA Tourism (SAT) was lambasted after the Daily Maverick's publication of its proposed plans for a three-year deal worth £42.5 million (approximately R900 million) beginning in the 2023/24 English Premier League season and ending at the end of the 2026/27 season.

Initially, South Africa's tourism ministry denied reports suggesting it planned to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur.

WWP is the agency which will be used in "activating" the sponsorship - and which must be paid a £1.5-million (R31.3-million) upfront fee.

In return for the investment, SA Tourism says it would receive training camps in South Africa, branding for the team uniforms, branding for the interview backdrops, match-day advertising, partnership announcements, complimentary tickets, and stadium hospitality.
Leader of Build One South Africa Mmusi Maimane said the proposed sponsorship agreement is illogical. And so does his former party and the official opposition, Democratic Alliance.
"What are the deterrents to tourism? Crime. Corruption. Load shedding. Polluted beaches. Rwanda did not just sponsor Woolwich. They made sure that Kigali was safe, clean and working," said Mmusi Maimane.

"SA Tourism's plan to sponsor an English Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur, is a slap in the face of every South African whose hard-earned tax will be used to sponsor a first-world football team. The DA will do everything in its power to oppose this lunacy, the DA said in a statement.
But Tourism SA Acting CEO Themba Khumalo has defended the proposed deal.
"Money that is invested in tourism is not the same money that's required for energy; it's not the same amount of money that's required for potholes," says Khumalo about the Tottenham Hotspur sponsorship deal.

However, after SA Tourism defended its choice to invest roughly R1 billion in Tottenham Hotspur, Daily Maverick has revealed another twist in the tale.

According to the report, Johan van der Walt, the interim chief financial officer (CFO) of SA Tourism, is a director of many businesses connected to the WWP Group and acknowledged working directly for the WWP Group in the past.

 

[Biff]

How is tourism doing in Rwanda nowadays on the back of VISIT RWANDA being all over Woolwich?

I've always been so glad that wasn't us.

 

[Pathfinder]

Three SA Tourism board members resign amid controversial R1bn Hotspur deal

Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen, and Rosemary Anderson have resigned with immediate effect.

ewn.co.za

THREE SA TOURISM BOARD MEMBERS RESIGN AMID CONTROVERSIAL R1BN HOTSPUR DEAL​

Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen, and Rosemary Anderson have resigned with immediate effect.

Maki Molapo | 04 February 2023 09:19

JOHANNESBURG - Three SA Tourism board members have resigned amid an outcry over money earmarked to sponsor English football team - Tottenham Hotspur.
Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen, and Rosemary Anderson informed Minister of Tourism, Lindiwe Sisulu of their resignations, which are effective immediately.
In a statement released on Saturday, board chairperson Dr Aubrey Mhlongo thanked the trio for their "invaluable contribution and oversight of the entity during their tenure."
Duminy and Nadasen were serving their third term on the board.
The board members' resignations come amid a week of questions and calls for clarity about SA Tourism's over R900 million deal with the football club.

SA Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo defended the much talked about deal on Thursday, following a Daily Maverick report on the story.

 

[John Thomas]

It honestly doesn't bother me where our sponsorship money comes from. Football is a cut throat business and has been morally bankrupt at the top end for decades.

What irks me are the individuals who try to claim we're somehow cleaner than the rest and "doing things the right way " and use this as some defence mechanism to absolve the ownership for our lack of success and ambition. Its utter bollocks.

 

[cretinousgoat]

It honestly doesn't bother me where our sponsorship money comes from. Football is a cut throat business and has been morally bankrupt at the top end for decades.

What irks me are the individuals who try to claim we're somehow cleaner than the rest and "doing things the right way " and use this as some defence mechanism to absolve the ownership for our lack of success and ambition. Its utter bollocks.

I am all for ‘ENIC out’ but just occasionally it would be nice if you could make a post that, a) wasn’t insulting someone (whether directly or passive aggressively), or b) whinging about the board or lack of transfers.

Give it a go, you might like it!

 

[Mrs Perryman]

I know that we need money to compete and everybody's doing it, but is there anything that we won't business partner with?

 

[Pathfinder]

Tourism committee wants Ramaphosa to stop Tottenham tourism deal

In a report to the National Assembly, the committee is recommending that the more than R900 million which would be spent on the Tottenham advertising campaign instead be spent on tourism infrastructure that has fallen into disrepair.

ewn.co.za

TOURISM COMMITTEE WANTS RAMAPHOSA TO STOP TOTTENHAM TOURISM DEAL​

In a report to the National Assembly, the committee is recommending that the more than R900 million which would be spent on the Tottenham advertising campaign instead be spent on tourism infrastructure that has fallen into disrepair.

Lindsay Dentlinger | 24 February 2023 11:13

CAPE TOWN - Parliament’s tourism committee wants President Cyril Ramaphosa and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to put a stop to SA Tourism’s controversial proposed sponsorship deal with English Premier League football club, Tottenham Hotspur.
In a report to the National Assembly published on Friday, the committee recommended that the more than R900 million which would be spent on the Tottenham advertising campaign instead be spent on tourism infrastructure that has fallen into disrepair.
It is also calling for two investigations into the affairs of the SA Tourism Board, saying there have been lapses in governance.

Following two meetings with the SA Tourism Board this month, Parliament’s tourism committee said a sponsorship deal with Tottenham Hotspur was neither in the best interests of the tourism industry nor the country.

It said it did not approve the nearly R1 billion budget for the deal, and wanted the National Assembly to intervene.

It also wanted the resignations of three former SA Tourism Board members to be investigated.

Enver Duminy, Ravi Nadasen, and Rosemary Anderson resigned in the wake of the proposed deal being made public, but have not spoken out about their decision.

The tourism portfolio committee said the process to appoint their replacements also needed to be probed.

Furthermore, the committee wanted the new board chairperson, Thozamile Botha, to be removed because it believed his appointment did not follow due process.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has denied making irregular appointments.

It emerged this week that acting chief financial officer, Johan van der Walt, has since resigned.

This after claims that he stood to benefit from a R31 million facilitation fee for the Tottenham deal, through a sports marketing company he had links to.

 

[Mick Cooper]

My brother lives in s.a .. i lived there for 6 years and still visit regurlarly..wonderful country on so many levels ..but its estimated for every 1 rand spent by the s.a goverment 2 rand are stolen through corruption.

I think that should read 2000

Sadly the country has gone down the shitter, which is a crying shame. The power cuts aren't due to a faulty electricity network, its because they sell off the power to neighbouring countries

Guess who pockets all the money?

SA is the only country on the continent with a nuclear power capability.

The prime minister (son of a policeman, ex lawyer) has an estimated personal fortune of half a billion US $, who knew that the salaries were so good down there?

 

[Bobcat goldthwaite]

I think that should read 2000

Sadly the country has gone down the shitter, which is a crying shame. The power cuts aren't due to a faulty electricity network, its because they sell off the power to neighbouring countries

Guess who pockets all the money?

SA is the only country on the continent with a nuclear power capability.

The prime minister (son of a policeman, ex lawyer) has an estimated personal fortune of half a billion US $, who knew that the salaries were so good down there?

Tells you all you need to know that the s.a govt the a.n.c supports and has close ties with putins regime

 

[Furball man]

Tells you all you need to know that the s.a govt the a.n.c supports and has close ties with putins regime

Aren’t they doing joint military exercises with China and Russia ? But wish to remain neutral on the Ukraine crisis

It’s all about the BRICS group & fellow members investing in SA

 

[NorseYid]

My brother lives in s.a .. i lived there for 6 years and still visit regurlarly..wonderful country on so many levels ..but its estimated for every 1 rand spent by the s.a goverment 2 rand are stolen through corruption.

Also a nice company they keep, with their new allies.

 

[Château NoHo]

I'm sure ArcspacE would've had a considered, thoughtful, and tempered response to this story.

 

[imitationleather]

How is tourism doing in Rwanda nowadays on the back of VISIT RWANDA being all over Woolwich?

I've always been so glad that wasn't us.

Wasn't that sponsorship deal mainly because the President of Rwanda is a Woolwich fan?