Dr Nik Eberl is the founder and executive chair: The Future of Jobs Summit™ (Official T20 Side Event). He is also the author of Nation of Champions: How South Africa won the World Cup of Destination Branding).
Sixteen years ago, South Africa achieved something extraordinary.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was more than a sporting event. It was a nation-building project, a tourism campaign and a global rebranding exercise rolled into one. For one unforgettable month, the world saw a different South Africa: confident, capable, welcoming and united.
As South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia prepare to jointly host the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, Southern Africa finds itself standing before another once-in-a-generation opportunity. The question is not whether the tournament will be successful. It almost certainly will be.
The real question is whether we can transform a cricket tournament into a tourism legacy that benefits the region long after the final ball is bowled.
