Khumalo said the marketing deal was in the process of consultation with stakeholders, including tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu, for approval.
He said the deal would bring in more money to the South Africa economy, saying through this deal the department would be able to persuade international tourists to travel to South Africa.
“The envisioned deal has got absolutely nothing to do with football, it has got to do with accessing the aggregated audiences that football brings. We are after the viewers of football that have the spend and willingness to travel long haul into our destination,” he said.
Khumalo said it was nothing new for SA Tourism to spend millions of rand in foreign marketing and that it had been done in previous years.
While some people said the money should rather be used to alleviate the country’s electricity problems, water shortages and other basic service delivery hurdles, Khumalo said that was not the department’s mandate.
He was adamant that there was nothing untoward about the marketing deal.
Sisulu said she had not been formally briefed by SA Tourism board about a marketing deal with any English football team.
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POLL | What should SA Tourism rather use the proposed R1bn on?
Tourism SA says the deal would enable them to persuade international travellers to visit the country, spend their money and boost the economy
Image: Thapelo Morebudi
A proposed sponsorship of an English Premier League team worth almost R1bn by the South African Tourism has been a point of debate with many questioning the worthiness of this deal while the country battles with basic service delivery.
On Tuesday, Daily Maverick reported that the government was mulling over a three-year deal with Tottenham Hotspur football club at a cost of R910m for advertisement of Tourism SA.
Briefing the media on Thursday, SA Tourism acting CEO Mzilikazi Themba Khumalo said there was no signed contract yet with the football club but the deal had been partially approved by the SA Tourism board. He said it was yet to get the green light.
LISTEN | ‘It’s about economic recovery’: SA Tourism on R1bn Spurs partnership
Khumalo said the marketing deal was in the process of consultation with stakeholders, including tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu, for approval.
He said the deal would bring in more money to the South Africa economy, saying through this deal the department would be able to persuade international tourists to travel to South Africa.
“The envisioned deal has got absolutely nothing to do with football, it has got to do with accessing the aggregated audiences that football brings. We are after the viewers of football that have the spend and willingness to travel long haul into our destination,” he said.
Khumalo said it was nothing new for SA Tourism to spend millions of rand in foreign marketing and that it had been done in previous years.
While some people said the money should rather be used to alleviate the country’s electricity problems, water shortages and other basic service delivery hurdles, Khumalo said that was not the department’s mandate.
He was adamant that there was nothing untoward about the marketing deal.
Sisulu said she had not been formally briefed by SA Tourism board about a marketing deal with any English football team.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
MORE:
WATCH | SA Tourism briefs media on Spurs partnership
DA to send delegation to Tottenham to get facts about ‘R1bn SA Tourism deal’
SA Tourism plan to sponsor Spurs worth more than Rwanda deal with Arsenal
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