IPL Cricket fever hits South Africa

South Africa is the new venue for IPL Cricket. India was considered too dangerous from a security point of view and South Africa is deemed to be safer.

Indian Premier League Cricket (IPL) fever hits South Africa Today’s IPL opening ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, is the culmination of only 22 days of organizing the tournament. Recently moved from India because of security concerns, the IPL circus decided in March to relocate to South Africa, where security was better. Notes IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi, “The speed of preparations should inspire FIFA in its struggles to organise football’s Confederation Cup in June and the FIFA 2010 World Cup, both in South Africa.” Eight cricket stadiums in South Africa have been prepared in record time: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London and Kimberley. Thousands of hotel rooms have been booked and many extra flights from Mumbai in India have been arranged to Johannesburg. FIFA have been in South Africa organizing the 2010 FIFA World Cup for eight years. The IPL tournament ends on 24 May and comprises of eight teams which play each other in 59 matches. It is already the world’s richest cricket league and soon hopes to emulate the English Soccer’s Premier League in Britain. Hosting the IPL in South Africa was a definite opportunity to build the IPL as a global brand, which would bring between R 1, 5 and R 2 – billion to the South African economy. Tourist operators in South Africa estimate that an additional 40 000 hotel rooms have been booked for the IPL at what is normally a quite time of the year, winter in South Africa. Many British Lion’s Rugby fans are also expected in South Africa to support their team. ”Coupled with the IPL Cricket which ends on 23 May, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in June and the ICC 8-Nations Champions’ Trophy in September, South Africa is certainly expecting thousands of fans for the upcoming top level sporting events,” notes Robert Wilson. CEO of Magic Marketing and travelinsouthafrica.net . “Fans should ensure that their transfers and accommodation are booked early,” he said. Cape Town, South Africa is growing as a venue for commercials and feature films and the local film industry hopes the IPL presence will help sell Cape Town as a film destination. Clint Eastwood is currently directing a film featuring Morgan Freeman as former President Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, the former springbok rugby captain who lead South Africa to a home turf victory at Ellis Park in the 1995 World Rugby Cup. "The ability of the South African security forces to safeguard major events has been internationally recognised with 141 international events having taken place in South Africa since 1994 without any serious incident," police said in a statement. For more information and bookings visit http://www.travelinsouthafrica.net Opinion by Robert Wilson CEO, Magic Marketing.co.za & Travel in South Africa.net Specialist Tour and Transport Operators, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Travel in South Africa.net is a specialist SA tour & transport operator. Located in Johannesburg, we are right in the hub of SA tourism, with big events such as the IPL Cricket Tournament, Lions Rugby Tour and FIFA Confed Cup scheduled for later in 2009.