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Accommodation around 2010 has been a bit of an enigma really. Is there enough? Is there too much? Is it worth making of earning a quick buck? Is there a quick buck to be made?

The past couple of weeks have seen media reports and adverts enough to bamboozle any straight thinking South African. Back in 2003 when South Africa hosted the International Cricket Council World Cup it was the same. People registered their homes and spent thousands in preparation. According to media reports, Nelson Mandela Bay residents who have registered their homes for accommodation with various estate agents have complained that they are yet to receive a booking. Meanwhile, one regularly run advertisement claims there are “65 000 beds short for 2010 World Cup in Port Elizabeth alone”. And another, also seeking registration of local accommodation, states that football fans coming to Port Elizabeth will have to be flown in and out because there is no more accommodation available.

Needless to say, requests seeking clarity on the sources of such information from the relevant advertisers have not been forthcoming. In comparison, at the end of January, it was reported in the media that FIFA was no longer concerned about accommodation in South Africa during the World Cup. And that Match, FIFA’s accommodation agent, has already relinquished more than 450 000 of the bed nights it initially reserved in local hotels and guesthouses. Industry leaders have claimed in the reports that it’s better to have received the new now, giving owners the opportunity to advertise their rooms on the open market. Exactly the same happened in 2002 ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup. It’s the nature of the game. The accommodation scouts come in early and assess what is available. They provisionally book what they might need and then as the time gets closer and real life plays out, the official agents dump or keep. Everyone enters the fray aware of the stakes.

Obviously it all revolves around which games are played where and ticket sales. No out-of-towner is going to book accommodation until they know they have a ticket. And as far as ticket sales go, many people only applied for tickets after the Final Draw in December when it was determined which teams were to play in which host cities. This ticket sales phase closed on January 22. Successful ticket buyers have only recently been notified. Why? Because the random draw selection of tickets applied for during this phase only took place on February 1, 2010. For the record, the next ticket-buying phase runs from 9 February until 7 April 2010. And then the final ticket buying phase runs from 15 April until 11 July 2010.

Also remember, until now application to buy tickets has been via the internet and at First National Bank branches, but the Local Organising Committee and FIFA have also acknowledged the need to reach ticket buying football fans that do not have access to either. Plans are being made for over-the-counter sales, too. So getting back to whether or not there is enough room in the inn and is it too early to panic if hopeful landlords have not received a booking? The answer on both accounts is definitely “yes”. And it’s not just about foreign fans making accommodation bookings.

Those traveling within the province have to be catered for, too. It is also not just about accommodation being available in Nelson Mandela Bay itself. Accommodation plans and statistics by the authorities, as allowed by FIFA, cover a 150-kilometre radius from the host city or a one-hour flight. Now this includes places like Jeffreys Bay, Kirkwood, Addo, Paterson, Port Alfred and Grahamstown. So as statistics around ticket sales and available accommodation in and around Nelson Mandela Bay are communicated; do the sums, consider time frames and you will soon assess for yourself the availability of accommodation? In so far as the million-dollar question, is there a quick buck to be made? During 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, which admittedly is a smaller event that that of FIFA World Cup, there were quite a few disappointed homestay owners whose expectations were abnormally high.

Those that were lucky enough to secure bookings, many made just before the event, charged reasonable rates and did not inflate prices. Cricket World Cup served as an opportunity for homeowners, not traditionally in the hospitality market, to spruce up their houses and earn a bit of cash in the process. It did not pay off the bond! So as Nelson Mandela Bay and the surrounding areas continue to journey on the road to 2010 be cautious not over capitalize. Plan appropriately and consider how the event can contribute towards sustainability and growth, without sinking you financially or ripping off the consumer.