Acacia Adventure Holidays kicks off football campaign

Acacia Adventure Holidays is ahead of the game in the run up to the 2010 World Cup as they kick off their new football oriented campaign for Africa. The tour operator is working in conjunction with ‘Footballs For Fun,’ a charity that was created after it was announced that the FIFA World Cup would be held in South Africa.

A novel approach in terms of helping and getting to know the people of Africa, Acacia Adventure Holidays’ overland travellers will be invited to part with £10 at the start of their tour to pay for a much prized football to be given away en route.

The money raised from the purchase of the footballs will help to change the outlook for thousands of Africans. Each football will generate £2 pounds for the charity to help people suffering from AIDS, Malaria, TB and Polio; Africans affected by drug abuse; and those who are simply in need of a clean water supply.

Kate Plummer, Sales & Marketing Co-ordinator at Acacia Adventure Holidays, comments: “Voluntourism might not be for everyone, so our Footballs For Fun campaign offers a chance for more people to get involved in the charitable side of travel.

“The beautiful game has reached all corners of the continent, in fact you would be surprised at what counts as a ball in Africa, even a screwed up bit of paper tied together with string. In that sense, we know that the campaign will be a hit with the children of Africa, and with travellers, who can share a fun kick about while also giving something back to the country they are visiting. The game of two halves can be enjoyed in dusty fields, townships or even in the bush, and with no particular stops marked out for the match this means that all our overland travellers can participate in the campaign.”

Acacia Adventure Holidays has 250 shiny new footballs ready and waiting for travellers to kick off the campaign, and the tour operator is sure that the mix of fun and charity will give the project a broader appeal than most other humanitarian travel ventures.

Lebohang Mokhesi, Country Manager for South African Tourism in the UK, comments: “At South African Tourism, we promote all aspects of the country’s rich culture and heritage. Sport plays a big part in South Africa’s culture and the exposure of the country will be sizeable over the next few years during the build up to the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Acacia Adventure Holidays, in conjunction with Footballs For Fun, have come up with an innovative way of combining tourism with this sporting theme, whilst also giving something back to the country’s communities.”

While 2010 is still a few years away there is already a buzz surrounding the event, as South Africa is the first nation on the continent to host the FIFA World Cup – making this a well-timed project. Combine the much-publicised preparation for the tournament with the UK’s unwavering enthusiasm for the beautiful game itself and the campaign is a win-win project, both for travellers and the people of Africa.

According to the founder of Footballs For Fun, John Haycock, the footballs also provide an answer to the age-old question often muted by travellers “what gifts should I take on holiday?” Put simply, the football can be shared so there are no issues over jealousy, and the game keeps children off the streets whilst promoting a healthier lifestyle.

All in all it’s amazing to know that a 16-ounce ball can do so much to change lives in Africa, but it’s also important to note that the footballs themselves carry the FAIRTRADE logo, the Footballs For Fun charity meeting strict criteria to bear this ethical emblem. From this standpoint the charitable exercise goes full circle, from the making of the footballs themselves right through to their ethical purpose – in aiding the people of Africa.

For more information, visit Acacia-africa.com. All prices are subject to availability.