MATCH is not concerned about a shortage of beds in Cape Town during the 2010 World Cup, says its accommodation manager Vivienne Bervoets, according to a report in the Cape Argus yesterday.

MATCH, the FIFA accommodation agency,  has already signed up 7 020 beds in Cape Town, and has created a “Matchville” in the Garden Route.   Ms Bervoets is quoted as saying that there is no “need to panic”, and that there is sufficient accommodation “provided the room inventory is properly utilised and maximised”.   “Our target was 55 000 rooms, of which we have 40 000 contracted and a number of initiatives in the pipeline.  However, this does not include contracting private homes, (a claim) recently reported in the media.”

Many guest house and smaller hotel owners are selling their rooms directly to soccer fans, and are not utilising MATCH, due to the stringent booking guidelines imposed by MATCH on its contracted accommodation suppliers, calling the shots as to the cancellation policy, deposit and final payments, and the commission of 30 % it takes on top of the rate charged by the establishments.

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