The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism will open another 2010 Visitor Information Centre (VIC), in Polokwane.
The department said in a statement that the new centre will provide a one-stop information service to tourists requiring information on a wide range of tourism aspects. In July, the first three VICs were opened in the Eastern Cape and more centres are scheduled for other 2010 Fifa World Cup host cities.
“The primary objective of the VIC project is to effectively address the tourism needs of visitors expected to converge in the five host cities in 2010 and beyond,” said the department.
Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, who will officially open the centre on Friday, said the centre would ensure tourists arriving in the city for the 2010 Fifa World Cup get the best advice and information. He added the department would continue with the roll-out of the centres, and all centres would be open in time for the soccer tournament.
The centre will make use of touch-screens linked to a central database to cater for any tourist information requirements. In addition, plasma screens will display the tourism products on offer and the advertisements of local businesses. The centres will also have information officers at the main desk, free Internet access and an online booking system.
The centre will use a visitors' information system, the Visitor Information Centres Enterprise Network Systems, which was developed by the department. The system will allow users to plan and finalise a travel itinerary by means of touch-screens and Web-based technology. It also offers tourists their own unique itinerary, which is accessible from anywhere in the world.
“The primary objective of the VIC project is to effectively address the tourism needs of visitors expected to converge in the five host cities in 2010 and beyond. All the VICs also boast a specially designed information and reservation system tailored to cater for the South African market,” the department stated.
The IT system will also integrate and standardise the technology component in all centres across country to allow the visitor to have a seamless travel experience. It will also afford the tourist the ability to access information from any location in one of the five host cities.
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