The Travel Agents’ Tales
Sunday January 31, 2010
‘We are not registered with MATCH to trade in tickets but that doesn’t matter because there is no problem getting hold of as many as our clients want,’ says the travel agent.
‘Some months ago MATCH were making legal threats about handling tickets but now they actually help put our people in touch with their agents with tickets. So I guess they are not selling too well.’
There was an expectation that sales would soar after the Final Draw – but agents everywhere tell me this hasn’t happened.
‘MATCH Authorised Agents had to buy a certain number of tickets and they are just sitting on them,’ I am told. ‘Some of these are now coming to us from Chile, Argentina - you name it - and offering "all the tickets we need" - and for any game.
‘Prices are of course crazy, especially for the Final, because there are still "resellers" trying to make money, but the big question right now is how many bums they will get on seats.’
The outside world is pointing the finger at the South African hotel business, accusing it of rip-offs. ‘Rooms that usually cost 1,000 Rands are now being pitched at 5,000,’said a source. ‘We are getting 5-star for the same price as 3 star being quoted by FIFA’s authorised agents.
‘We had one hotel near Johannesburg that wanted a deposit from us last year which the owner told us was to fund a 15-room 5 star luxury extension to his hotel!
MATCH Hospitality are charging their customers $755 for internal flights between games. ‘We can get them for $350,’ retorted the agent.
‘We hear that Belgium, German and English companies are taking options on charters to get fans to the games at an affordable price.’
‘I’m worried,’ the agent tells me, ‘I am, worried for the event and for the South Africans – it is sad – the 1995 Rugby World Cup and Mandela was fantastic – I can’t see anything like that this time,’ says the agent. ‘This racketeering and money-making is ugly – everyone is on the bandwagon, everyone.’
But there may be hope – for fans – not the rip-off artists. ‘If I were a real fan and my team was doing well,’ advises the agent, ‘I would book last minute. There may be some real stunning bargains. Good luck to us all and God Bless poor South Africa.’