The perceived marketing benefits of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ for craft businesses

Abstract

The craft industry derives major benefits from the growth in the number of tourists visiting South Africa (SA). The recent sport mega event, the FIFA World Cup TM, created market access and business growth opportunities for the craft businesses since more international tourists visited the country in year 2010 than before. The main purpose of this study was to determine the perceived marketing benefits accruing to craft businesses during the FIFA World Cup™. The study also identified the marketing challenges experienced by craft businesses during the event as well as the government support received by businesses before and during the FIFA World Cup™. A survey was conducted among 99 craft businesses in SA after the FIFA World Cup™. The results were similar to those of other studies, which prove that the benefits emanating from the sport mega events are disproportionate among businesses in different sectors. Although half of the businesses benefited and were happy with the outcomes of the events, some businesses did not benefit at all since they spent more money and effort than what they benefited from the event and also did not receive any kind of support from government. Some businesses experienced major challenges with regard to accessing market from FIFA affiliated agencies. Overall, craft businesses had higher expectations than they benefited from the event.