Fancourt has received official confirmation from the Japanese Football Association (JFA) that the hotel will host the Japanese national football team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The Japanese first expressed their interest in staying at Fancourt to their national media following a number of site visits to the five-star resort in June 2009. They recently gave Fancourt the ‘go ahead’ to make an official announcement.

Representatives of the JFA have visited the resort on a number of occasions, with its president, Motoaki Inukai, personally visiting Fancourt with a large contingency of Japanese media in November 2009, following the team’s 0-0 draw against Bafana Bafana.

At an informal gathering with the media, Inukai stated that “George is lucky for the Japanese”, and in particular Fancourt, because of the fact that Rui Kitada and Ai Miyzato of Japan won the Women’s World Cup of Golf at Fancourt in 2005.

Commenting on the exciting news, Fancourt’s chief operating officer, Niall O’Hagan said, “We’re thrilled that the Japanese will be staying at Fancourt during the Football World Cup, and feel privileged to play a role in what will be such an important event for the continent of Africa. Hosting the Japanese will provide the opportunity to forge important cultural and business ties, but it will also provide wonderful international exposure for the city of George, and the Garden Route as a whole.”

The resort has been working hard to ensure that all visitors from Japan feel welcome, secure and informed. Marketing materials have been translated into Japanese and a Japanese version of the Fancourt website is available at www.fancourt.jp. The resort has also been working with numerous translators and cultural advisers, to assist with all facets of planning.

Fancourt was voted Africa’s Leading Golf Resort in 2009 at the World Travel Awards, making it the sixth time that the resort has won the coveted the title since 2001.

2010 is set to be another bumper year, with the Dimension Data Pro-Am 2010 taking place from 11 to 14 February, the BMW Golf Cup International World Final 2009 taking place from 1 to 6 March, and South Africa’s first European Senior Tour event, the Berenberg Bank Masters, taking place from 26 to 28 March.

For more information about Fancourt, its facilities and events visit www.fancourt.com

Hotel GM, Kerrin Titmas presents JFA president , Motoaki Inukai with a Fancourt memento