For anyone who ever doubted that this World Cup in South Africa was not going to be a success … I think that this picture will prove that everyone is behind the tournament …. and the noise at the matches is going to be DEAFENING !!

“Do I need a Visa if I am going to the World Cup in South Africa” is likely to be a frequently asked question from now on … well, hopefully Travel Butlers can answer this for you now.

Overseas visitors who have tickets for the World Cup will be able to obtain a free visitor visa when they enter South Africa. The visa can only be used for the World Cup and will only be valid for 90 days. A valid travel document/ passport, proof of return air ticket, a match ticket booking voucher and two identity photographs in colour will be required to obtain the visa.

Eligible countries are:

Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Botswana
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malta
Monaco
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Paraguay
Portugal
San Marino
Singapore
Spain
St Vincent & the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
UK
Uruguay
Venezuela
USA

There will be dedicated lanes at airports to ensure fast processing.

Lezard Bleu is a lovely guest house, situated in the exclusive suburb of Oranjezicht in Cape Town, and Travel Butlers have practically taken over this guest house during the period around England’s first game in Cape Town.

The owners, Chris and Nikola, are certainly looking forward to hosting our customers, and having looked around the guest house last week AND spent a very pleasant few hours one evening in Chris’s and Nikola’s company, I am 100% sure that our customers will just love their stay here !

The rooms are great - spacious, comfortable and a bit quirky, especially the Tree House. There is a large pool, though in June I am not quite sure how much swimming or sunbathing will be done !

The main guest area consists of one large, family style table, around which sumptious breakfasts can be enjoyed, and of course there will be a communal TV so that everyone can watch all the other World Cup games being played inbetween sightseeing.

Nikola runs a small curio ‘corner’ too, and all items are locally sourced and made, so sales will benefit local artists and communities.

The family dogs are always around too, there were 4 at the last count !

We walked to the stadium from here on the Saturday afternoon, and it took about an hour - Chris has already mapped out a route that he is going to recommend to everyone, including where to stop for lunch on the way down (’Fork’ in Long Street … apparently THE best tapas in Cape Town - unfortunately we didn’t quite have time to stop here en-route !!).

After the game, to walk from the stadium back to the Waterfront will take about 5-10 minutes, but we would strongly advise everyone to then take a taxi back to the guest house - please do NOT walk back late at night.

We are absolutely convinced that everyone staying here will have a great time … and we are very envious that we can’t join you … unless someone has a spare ticket ??!!

And then if we get through the group…

A dramatic game in Paris saw Ireland take the lead in the first half and hold on to force extra time in the Stade de France.   After surviving a strong penalty claim by the French (who also had a goal ruled out for offside) France finally scored towards the end of the first period of extra time, although Thierry Henry had handled the ball and the goal should not have been allowed to stand.

Ireland pushed hard in the second period of extra time, but ultimately were unable to score the goal that would have seen justice done in the game and sent them through, and it is France that will be joining the party in South Africa next June and July.

Algeria, Greece, Portugal, and Slovenia had already secured qualification earlier in the day, with the biggest shock seeing Slovenia knockout Guus Hiddink’sRussian side.

With 31 of the 32 teams now confirmed, the last remaining place will be decided when Uruguay play Costa Rica in Montevideo in a game that kicks-off at 23:00 GMT tonight ( Uruguay  lead 1-0 from the first leg ).

You can read more about the tournament including the full list of qualified teams on our World Cup 2010 Guide.

South Africa is ready to welcome the world in June 2010 as it prepares to host a World Cup like no other, and this will provide an ideal opportunity for many fans to combine sport with a trip to a truly world class travel destination.

Of course (whisper it quietly)…not everyone likes football! Given the huge number of teams, fans, and media that will invade South Africa next June/July, careful planning is required to make sure that anyone thinking of visiting the country in 2010 gets the most out of their trip regardless of whether they are travelling to follow the World Cup or not.

Love Football - Visiting South Africa during the World Cup
Stunning scenery, long sandy beaches, vibrant city life, and excellent game viewing are making South Africa one of the fastest growing holiday destinations in the world. Steeped in history and culture, there are outstanding attractions in every part of this vast country, and these can easily be included to fit in around the games … from whale watching and wine tasting around Cape Town, to tracking lions in Kruger or scuba diving near Durban…this will be a World Cup to remember!

The recent British & Irish Lions Rugby tour of South Africa saw a 40% increase in visitors from the home nations to South Africa. Given the immense popularity of football and the number of nations taking part in the World Cup, fans that are planning on going out to follow their team are strongly advised to plan their trip and book accommodation as early as possible to avoid disappointment, especially as flights are now available.

To help fans research and plan their trip, we have prepared a comprehensive guide to the tournament including travel information, host city guides, what do do between games and more - click here to read more : World Cup Travel Guide.

Hate Football - Avoid The Crowds And Save Money By Avoiding The World Cup
For anyone not interested in following the World Cup, the best advice would definitely be to avoid travelling there during the tournament!

The World Cup will run from 11 June to 11 July 2010, and it is expected that the whole region will be extremely busy with teams, fans, and the media from 1 June until 15 July.

For non-fans, visiting outside of this period will not only give them a greater choice of hotels and safari lodges, but it will also mean they can take advantage of the numerous special offers that we are offering during this period (such as “Stay for 3 nights and only pay for 2″, or free accommodation in Cape Town when you book a safari at selected lodges) that will not be available during the World Cup period.

Of course, even some football fans might prefer to watch the tournament on TV and travel to SA at another time!

Whenever you decide to go to South Africa, we can help you research, plan and book a dream holiday to this exciting country. As well as the World Cup Guide, our comprehensive website includes travel guides to the major highlights of the region, details of hundreds of hotels, safari lodges and specials offers, and suggested itineraries for your trip.

There is rumour that South African Airlines will be introducing an additional 4 daily flights between South America and Johannesburg. The aim is to have 2 daily flights from São Paulo, one daily flight from Buenos Aires and another daily flight from Rio de Janeiro.

It is believed that these new flights are in response to the anticipated demand for travel to South Africa as a result of the 2010 World Cup.

Currently, South African Airlines operates daily flights to São Paulo, Brazil and to Buenos Aires, Argentina but only 3 times per week.

Direct flights are also being considered between South America and Cape Town and Durban, but this will not be decided until after the draw is made for the groups on December 4th.

England cliched qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with an emphatic 5-1 win over Croatia at Wembley.

The full list of currently qualified teams is:
HOSTS: South Africa
AFRICA QUALIFYING: Ghana
ASIA QUALIFYING: Japan, Australia, South Korea, North Korea
EUROPE QUALIFYING: Netherlands, England
SOUTH AMERICA QUALIFYING: Brazil

There is still plenty of football left to decide the remaining teams that will travel to South Africa, and the draw for the finals will take place in South Africa on the 4th of December.

You can read more about the venues, travel options, and things to do around each host city in our travel guide to the 2010 World Cup.

If you are interested in travelling to SA during the World Cup then you can ask us to help you plan and book your trip to the World Cup.

Emirates’ connectivity will soon span 3 major FIFA 2010 World Cup host cities, as of 1 October 2009, when they introduce daily direct flights, both inbound and outbound, between Dubai and Durban International Airport and later the new King Shaka Airport.

An A330-200 will service the route with 27 business-class and 251 economy-class seats. The Dubai-Durban flight will cover a distance of over 6,600 kms in 8 hours 40 minutes. EK774 will depart Dubai daily at 04:45 hours and arrive in Durban at 11:25 hours. EK775 will depart Durban at 13:15 hours and arrive in Dubai at 23:45 hours.

“Tourism KwaZulu-Natal is elated that Emirates will be launching direct flights to our beautiful province, which will now be opened to the world – making inbound and outbound travel far easier and cost effective. This move by Emirates sets a positive outlook for the city of Durban, KwaZulu- Natal as a province and South Africa as a whole,” said Ndabo Khoza, CEO – Tourism KwaZulu-Natal. “As Tourism KZN, we have pledged our support for Emirates to make the route a resounding success and prove sceptics wrong. The spotlight is on South Africa as we move closer to the 2010 World Cup. Let us shine back.”

The city of Durban has wasted no time, effort or expense to ensure it is ready for the 2010 World Cup in June next year. The various projects are progressing full-steam ahead at an estimated cost of over R5 billion.

THE STADIUM: Taking its design inspiration from the South African flag, this impressive new structure on the Durban skyline is a world-class, state-of-the-art, multifunctional arena located in the heart of the Kings Park Sporting Precinct, seating 70,000 people. The retractable roof, that can cover around 80% of the stadium, means this venue can host events 365 days of the year. The stadium also incorporates Imbizo Place with over 7000m2 of retail space, an amphitheatre and a cable car up to the viewing platform on the arch, offering breathtaking views over the ocean and city.

KING SHAKA AIRPORT: A brand new airport in the North of the city at La Mercy will link Durban and the rest of the country/world.
The new airport will be able to handle larger aircraft, more people and will provide a direct international link to Durban.

INFRASTRUCTURE: There is also major work happening along freeways and highways, on the streets leading to the stadium
and the planting of trees in parks and in other public open spaces, all of which are being done with the tournament firmly in mind.

Another of the major projects that will radically change the face of Durban is the R100m upgrade of the Golden Mile (Durban’s famous beachfront). Not only will this area incorporate the FIFA Fan Park at New Beach, it will also house a “Fan Mile” where people can buy food or drink while watching the matches at one of the many cafes or restaurants that will be scattered around. This Fan Mile will run along the beach from the Fan Park to the stadium itself. Two public viewing areas will also be set up, where matches can be watched on a plethora of big-screen TVs.

This new facelift for the city, combined with other initiatives to improve safety and security overall - will leave Durban an even more beautiful, friendly and safe place.