Without the coastline and Table Mountain, Johannesburg has always been less popular with European tourists than its western cousin Cape Town. However, for all its failings, developments over recent years have seen people flock back to Jo'burg, and the surrounding area of Gauteng as also seen heightened interest.

Whether it is the tourist region around Cape Town, with its diverse faunae and impressive geology, or the prospect of the country being host to the FIFA World Cup - South Africa is set to garner more and more attention from international visitors over the next two years.

Aside from South Africa’s well-known attractions such as Table Mountain in Cape Town, and the sites of cultural/historical significance in its major cities, the country is also becoming a major destination for travellers in search of natural beauty and the latest offerings of eco-tourism.

Every four years, thirty two teams from around the world compete in one of the biggest tournaments in all of sports. The World Cup is the world championship tournament for the sport of soccer and it brings with it the same excitement and fan-fair as that of the Olympic Games. The most recent World Cup tournament, held in 2006, was the eighteenth in the tournaments history and was played in Germany

Cape Town is one of the biggest cities in South Africa and is located on the west coast of the country. Over the last few years the area has become a popular destination for tourists and visitors.

The largest city in South Africa is not normally associated with the tourism trade. However, with an increasingly bustling airport receiving Cheap flights to Johannesburg from Europe and the rest of the world, the city has become a popular stop off point for many travellers.