| Residents hope to cash in with 2010 rentals |
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| Written by Adin Walls |
| Tuesday, 25 August 2009 09:42 |
 With fewer than 300 days to go until the much-anticipated tournament, homeowners in the region could pocket anything between R1000 and R15000 a night from renting their homes to fans as the company tasked with organising accommodation, Match Event Services, is struggling to sign up sufficient hotels and B&Bs to accommodate visitors.According to research, the Bay will have the second- biggest shortage in the country during the tournament’s peak, after Gauteng which stands to have a shortfall of 65000, and ahead of Bloemfontein and Nelspruit, with an envisaged shortage of 14000 and 13000 respectively. According to Fifa, up to 500000 foreign visitors are expected to descend on South Africa and its nine World Cup host cities for six weeks in June and July next year, but to date Match has only signed up 40000 rooms. Despite the Tourism Grading Council’s insistence that 100000 rooms are available countrywide – enough to host fans – Match’s stringent requirements have seen many graded hotels and B&Bs refuse to sign over their establishments, leaving the market wide open for private accommodation. In a partnership between Seeff Properties and soccer icon Gary Bailey, droves of homeowners throughout the region are signing up to have their properties rented out to fans during the tournament. “We have had a massive response and we are now going through the applications,” said Craig Fensham of Seeff Port Elizabeth. “We have had people with big, beautiful homes saying they would move out if they could get a good rental, as well as (offers of) ordinary apartments and homes. It’s been a fascinating exercise, but it’s also quite a complicated process.” Close on 100 homeowners throughout the region have already signed up to have their homes rented out, despite Match refusing to endorse the venture. Bay Seaview resident Peter Bekker said he would like to let his plush 1000m² home on the outskirts of the city “for the right price”. “For that kind of money I would gladly take a holiday with my family and watch the World Cup on TV,” said Bekker. “I wouldn’t mind taking the whole six weeks off and what’s nice is that it’s school holidays at the same time and the rental could pay for a nice overseas holiday.” Walmer B&B owner Madelein Mantell said she would rather rent her entire seven-sleeper establishment to one family, than chance having some rooms standing vacant during the event. “There’s a chance we’d get more from renting the entire house than just single rooms, so it could very well work out more lucrative,” she said. According to Southern Cape Seeff agent Alan Evans, who sits on the company’s 2010 committee, Bailey’s credibility in Europe – he is a former England goalkeeper – meant more foreign visitors would be attracted to the venture. “We have been inundated by landlords wanting to let out their properties,” said Evans. “In Knysna, we already have 30 prospective homes on our books without any active promotion (of the venture). We are expecting many supporters to base themselves at one central location and travel (to matches) from there.” He said plush homes could fetch up to three times their usual peak season asking price of R500 per person, meaning the homeowners could net up to R12000 per night and in some cases a little more if they were close to the stadium in a host city. “In an area like Humewood or Summerstand (in the Bay), owners could get up to R15000 a night for an eight-to-10 sleeper,” Evans said. But homeowners will have to wait until December 4, when Fifa draws the teams to face one another, before they know for sure what rental prices they might net. “We are waiting until December to see what the draw is, to see which teams will be coming here and to decide the criteria for hosting teams’ supporters,” said Bay Seeff agent Avril O’Leary. http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=458210 |