Pretoria - Deputy Minister of Tourism Tokozile Xasa will on Monday open a 2010 Visitor Information Centre (VIC) in Rustenburg that will ensure tourists arriving in the city for the 2010 FIFA World Cup get the best advice and information.
The primary objective of the VIC project is to effectively address the tourism needs of visitors expected to converge in the five host cities in 2010 and beyond.
According to the Department of Tourism, the one-stop shops will supply tourists with information on a wide range of services, including reservations, accommodation, tours, vehicle hire, entertainment, adventure and travel tips.
More than 450 000 visitors are expected to arrive in the country and these centres would play a pivotal role in addressing tourism and information services.
Last month the department opened a VIC in Polokwane and in July this year, the first three VICs were launched in the Eastern Cape. The three centres are based at the Port Elizabeth Airport, the lighthouse facility at the Donkin Reserve and the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World.
Nelspruit in Mpumalanga and Bloemfontein in the Free State will be launched in the near future.
These less visited provinces were earmarked for the VIC's in preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup South Africa, but also to grow tourism arrivals both locally and internationally.
Developed at a cost of R 6.7 million, the centres will form part of the legacy project for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and will benefit many visitors in the years to come.
