Reuters Soccer Blog

Community Blog: Kindness worth more than gold

The debate of inflated prices during the Soccer World Cup is an unending one. And in the end, what is on the price tag is entirely up to the service provider.

According to Ms Nikie Botha, a manager at the Jacaranda Overnight Accommodation in Polokwane, all-round kindness to your guests is more rewarding than ripping them off.

“My boss had earlier on suggested that we take the prices higher, we did, but it was difficult because we have our usual clients and I was the one who had to stand at the counter and turn them away because they couldn’t afford it. I believe in what goes around comes around, so if we give we will receive volumes”.

Nikie says in their endeavour to maximise in their turnover from the world cup they learnt that they didn’t have to compromise who they were as a brand, “we are an affordable accommodation and thats what we are presenting to everyone disregarding the event”. Because of their maintained affordability, Jacaranda is this week full with Mexican and French fans for the game tonight.

World Cup hopefuls head up for air

World Cup organisers had plans to spread the 32 finalists for the 2010 tournament across South Africa, giving every corner of the country a chance to feel a little of the fever close at hand.

While the matches are only being played at 10 venues in nine cities, the team bases would have allowed for a wider spread, with the opportunity to watch a training session becoming almost as valuable a commodity as a match ticket for star-starved supporters away from the World Cup mainstream.