5 replies to this topic

[janine]

Hi everyone!
As you may be aware South Africa is hosting the FIFA Worldcup Soccer 2010.We would love to have feedback from soccer fans who are keen to visit and need information.
What have been your past experiences of attending games?YBelow is a picture of the new stadium Moses Mabhida in Durban. The arch is 40 stories high and it has the capacity to hold 70 000 spectators.Each seat is spacious and 50%of the stadiums seat accessible from the main entrance level.The Grand Centre arch will be a world first tourist attraction thanks to a high tech cable car designed to take visitors to its highest point where visitors can disembark and take in breathtaking views of Durban city.
Durban and tourism Kwazulu Natal are fully committed to the promotion on Inclusive Tourism.
www.access2africasafaris.co.za



View from Ushakamarine World Durban

[greybeard]

Yawn.

Edited by greybeard, 26 October 2009 - 01:38 PM.

[Lucydog]

Its Football actually. 'Soccer' is an abbrevation of Association Football.
Anyway Im not interested in what the Stadia look like. I am interested in infrastructure such as hotels and transport. I have heard both in the media and from family living in Jo' burg that the infrastructure is not in place. Transport and safety are major issues and hotel accomodation is already full to bursting. Unless you have serious cash to splash SA is probably best avoided during the world cup.

[janine]

Oops!We South Africans call it soccer...

And you are right infrastructure such as transport,acommodation and safety are very important.Durban has accessible wheelchair buses along the beachfronts. Security are everywhere along Durban beachfront included The Mounted Police ensuring safety. With regards to accommodation many accommodations are booked out to MATCH and it is a matter of first come first serve.There are website such as www.disabledtravel.co.za which is an excellant website to source accessible accommodation. Car rentals companies such as Avis do supply hand control vehicles. There are organisations in South Africa such as The Quadriplegic Association of South Africa that are working very hard to ensure accessibility for visitors.They were the drive behind ensuring the new Gautrain Railway structure which will run from Johannesburg International Airport to Pretoria will be accessible.

In case you didnt know South Africa is one of the first countries in the world to implement The Universal Access Grading Scheme which works together with The Grading Council to grade and offer guidelines to venues,accommodations and attractions according to levels of accessibility.

Hope this helps a bit!

[HiltonP]

Janine,

I appreciate your enthusiasm, but as a South African traveller I'd have to say that we need to jack up a lot of things before we can expect international travellers to take us seriously.

Just today I was working with SAA who wanted to refuse to fly me on Friday (even though the tickets are booked and paid for) because, they claim, I need assistance. They wanted a signed doctors certificate, on 24hrs notice! Strange because I have been flying domestically, and internationally, for 28 years in a wheelchair and I have never needed assistance.

Turns out, when you tell them you're in a chair they refer the booking to a medical department, who then decide whether you're worthy or not. They make all sorts of strange (and completely incorrect) assumptions based on your disability, age, etc. Trying to find a solution over the phone is an experience all of its own, since the operators can barely understand English, and can barely speak English. Heaven forbid if I was a foreign tourist!

If this was one isolated incident I could excuse it, but this matter has been repeated again and again, for weeks. It seems their booking, and medical, departments just don't have a firm grasp on what they're doing. Added to this the conduct of their ground staff who operate the PAUs is shocking. Ten to twenty years ago their service was manageable, but lately they have really deteriorated.

. . . and on the matter of "Universal Access Grading Scheme" . . .

PROTEA HOTELS and SOUTHERN SUN, both arguably the largest holders of hotel rooms in SA have a shocking record when it comes to accessability. In Cape Town, SA's most well known tourist city, less than half the PROTEA hotels are accessible, and those that are only have one or two accessible rooms.

[janine]

Hi Hilton
You should contact Quadrileplegic Assocation of South Africa about your experience of airport service.They have contacts to sort this out very quickly!

It may be of interest for you to join Tourwatch for all those in the accessible travel industry as there is a group there for Worldcup 2010 and lots of information about the work been done to make World Cup accessible for all.Its at www.tournet.ning.com.

As regards to Protea Hotels I have been informaed earlier this year that all 40 hotels are undertaking to be assessed for accessibility and that the Grading Council exisiting assessors will be doing this. In terms of The Universal Access Grading Scheme it means they have to be accessible for all disabilities including hearing impaired and visually impaired and for evacuation procedures too. As always structures can be in place but it is the implementation that is important. Will keep you posted on this!

Makaranga Lodge in Durban is different as 10 of their 24 rooms are accessible.Would be great if all accommodations could follow their example!

For your interest The South Africa magazine Rolling Inspiration issues, leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be focusing exclusively on facilities for persons with disabilities within the host cities. They will be looking at activities, venues and places of interest that have accessible facilities. They will also be covering the issues of transport and seating arrangements at each of the stadium. Look at www.rollinginspiration.co.za.

The South African Disability Alliance (SADA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the 2010 FIFA World Cup committee .