Pretoria - The usually laid back Bloemfontein is alive with activity as thousands flock to the city to watch the historic game between Bafana Bafana and former world champions France this afternoon.
A sea of soccer fans clad in yellow and green have made their way to the "City of Roses", as it had become known locally, for the make-or-break match, which will see Bafana playing for pride as they seek a chance of progressing beyond the group stage of the tournament.
The Free State Tourism Authority said the industry has been pulling out all the stops to lure and entertain World Cup visitors.
CEO Monyane Sefantsi told BuaNews that the province is strategically placed and is the eco-tourism destination of choice.
Among others, the industry has developed packages like the all-day bus service operating throughout the tournament to take fans from the city centre to a fan park with large beer and food tents, and organised events such as five-a-side games.
Other travel packages also include safaris, game drives and trips to rural villages.
The city has also seen an increase in hotel bookings. On match days, Sefantsi said most of the rooms are full, mainly with foreign visitors and journalists- which make up to 60 percent of the bookings.
Thirty percent of the bookings are from international visitors, while 10 percent are locals.
During the tournament, he said they will focus on marketing the province internationally.
"At the end of the day, we want tourists to come back long after the World Cup is gone."
According to Sefantsi, the town is also dressed up to welcome the visitors. The lamp posts are decorated with vuvuzelas and shop racks are overflowing with yellow replica shirts of the Bafana team.
"Everyone is happy the World Cup is here. I've seen a lot of changes taking place. There are road upgrades and a change of attitude," he said.
Even the tourists are "excited" and keen to visit places like the President Brand Street, with its historic sandstone buildings, he said. Dating back as far as 1875, the buildings include the Old Presidency and the town hall - which has been turned into a conservation area.
Bloemfontein is best known as the venue of the Appeal Court -which is the highest court in the land and as the bedrock of conservative Afrikaner culture.
Today, however, the province is united and behind the national team, said Sefantsi, adding that the mood is "joyous and full of colour. "
"The fans have really put their cultural differences aside and are embracing the World Cup."
The province hosts some of the most decorated and colourful football supporters known for their sheer enthusiasm and vociferous singing during games. Local outfit, Bloemfontein Celtic are the most popular football side from the city with their famous clan of supporters, known as Siwelele.
The city - known in the Sesotho language as Mangaung/ "The Place of the Cheetahs" - has also seen matches that featured Japan and Cameroon, Greece and Nigeria, Slovakia and Paraguay, and Switzerland and Honduras who took on each other in the group stages in matches at the 45 000-capacity stadium.
