SWC not just about soccer - Zuma

2010-02-25 13:25

Johannesburg - South Africa was not preparing to just host a soccer festival ahead of the World Cup, it was building the country, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.

"Our endeavours have put us and our abilities to the test and made us strive toward our goals with even more determination that ever before," Zuma told the Tourism, Sport and Mega Events summits in Johannesburg.

"Our vision, however, was to build more than stadia, roads and airports.

"Our vision was to build our legacy as champions... We are all geared towards success."

Zuma said that as the world emerged from a global economic downturn, the time had come for the rebuilding and reigniting of the economy as well as the travel and tourism sectors.

However, he said Africa had "bucked" the global trend in tourism with a five percent increase in arrivals.

- SAPA