Top 10 Global Best Practices: Destination’s security measure for Soccer World Cup :Top 10 Global Best Practices: Destination’s security measure for Soccer World Cup


: South Africa will host Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) 2010 Soccer World Cup but there exists a tourist safety concern due to high crime rate in the country. The Soccer World Cup tends to attract hooligans that instigate fights in the venues. Some European countries have experienced the problems with hooliganism (destructive behaviour of soccer fans) and they have implemented measures to manage this threat. However, a country like South Africa that is already perceived by tourists as unsafe needs to implement measures not only to manage hooliganism but also to ensure tourists’ security against crime. INTRODUCTION


: Create a national tourism safety and security plan Articulate rules and policies for security personnel Ensure appropriate police visibility Encourage participation from stakeholders Use technology for surveillance Appoint media liaisons Create a central list of hooligans Provide information to tourists Ban harmful material in the stadium Gather intelligence information Top 10 Global Best Practices


: There should be an integrated national tourist safety and security plan to protect tourists across the country. For example, if one region is superior in tourist safety and security but right outside the city there is high crime rate against the tourist, the reputation of the whole region or the country is affected. A national tourist safety and security plan will synchronise the efforts of local enforcement agencies. Furthermore, such plan will bring consistency in safety and security measures around the country in different venues of the tournament. 1. Create a national tourism safety and security plan


: The national authority in consultation with the event organising committee and law enforcement agencies should lay out rules and policies to be carried out for security. The rules and policies should describe the actions that local authorities should take during various situations. The rules and policies should also stipulate code of conduct for the security personnel. South Africa and other countries like it have been plagued with corruption. Therefore, an anti-corruption and anti-racism policy should be a part of overall rules and policies. 2. Articulate rules and policies for security personnel


: Research indicates a negative relationship between number of police officers on streets and number of crimes that take place in a specified region. The police officers not only need to be firm towards crime but should also be sensitive towards the special needs of the tourists. The officers should realise that the tourists are easy targets for crimes. Therefore, the officers should know how to comfort the tourist victims of a crime. A dedicated security force for the event also helps the region to cope with additional resource requirements. 3. Ensure appropriate police visibility


: The beneficiaries of tourism in a region include various business owners, associations, residents and communities at large. Therefore, efforts should be made to develop a security program in consultation with these various stakeholders who are a part of these communities. Proactive participation of the stakeholders will help prevent crime. The following recommendations will help implement effective stakeholder participation: Involving local communities and businesses in the security planning process for an event. Especially, the accommodation sector that can help warn tourists to refrain from going to high crime areas. Information sharing mechanisms between law enforcement agencies and industry stakeholders. Law enforcement agencies should show trust in the private security personnel. 4. Encourage participation from stakeholders


: An event such as the Soccer World Cup draws thousands of fans from around the world. This makes it difficult for the host nation to arrange appropriate levels of man power for invigilating all the areas to provide security to the overwhelming number of tourists. Therefore, the use of technology such as the Closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera helps the law enforcement agencies to keep surveillance going twenty four hours a day. Furthermore, the presence of CCTV cameras discourages criminal activities. Moreover, during the soccer matches, the cameras can help keep an eye on spectators in the stadium in real time to prevent fights from a centralised control room. Additionally, CCTV cameras make spectators and tourists feel safe. 5. Use technology for surveillance


: The media plays a crucial role in shaping the perception of tourists towards a destination. South Africa is already dealing with the perception of being unsafe due to the high crime rate in the country. The Soccer World Cup will assist the country to change that perception if the event goes through safely. The world media will cover the event which will be watched by millions of viewers worldwide. Therefore, it becomes crucial in managing relations with the media. 6. Appoint media liaisons


: One of the major challenges identified in hosting a Soccer World Cup is managing hooligan fans of the teams. Many countries in Europe have encountered riots during soccer matches caused by fights between fans of competing teams. Germany and the UK maintain a list of potential fight instigator fans in their country. In the UK, the people on this list are restricted from going to a soccer match for three (3) years. Furthermore, they are restricted from travelling abroad when their team is playing in other countries. Part of this initiative is possible due to stricter stance taken by the government on fan hooliganism which causes life and property damages. Considering the experience of these two countries in handling hooliganism, a country like South Africa has to be prepared for such an event in a similar ways. 7. Create a central list of hooligans


: Tourists tend to indulge themselves in risky activities when on vacations. This is also one of the main reasons for tourists being an easy target of crime. The national security authority should keep track of regional crime rates and make a handbook for tourists with preventative measures they can take to avoid being victim. This handbook might not prevent all the incidents but it will help to caution tourists mitigate the threat of being victim of a crime. Furthermore, the handbook should have information on each geographical region in the country such as places to visit, local culture, etc. and safety travel tips for each of them. 8. Provide information to tourists


: The importance of security at sporting events have changed in the post 9/11 era. Most of the increase in attention is to prevent terrorist attacks but some of the measures are to ensure public safety from any kind of harm including crime. Spectators in a soccer match have a higher probability of getting involved in fights initiated by hooligans. Therefore, to protect human life in an event like this there has to be a well articulated list of materials such as sharp objects, weapons, etc. that cannot be permitted in the stadium. Controlling a fight in a stadium filled with thousands of spectators is a difficult task which could further worsen if there are weapons. 9. Ban harmful material in the stadium


: Efforts should be made to gather information from various sources on possible organised crimes or any other threats to tourists and spectators in or outside the stadiums. The local law enforcement agencies have to perform this function to safeguard tourists in their region. Moreover, this information should be shared with the central command center that can take a proactive approach in other regions on similar threats. Managing this information is another crucial task for the authorities as there will be various data sources such as telephone records, crime incident reports, custom records, etc. The national security authority should install information technology software to manage this data in real time. This will reduce the response time for the authority to act on possible threats. 10. Gather intelligence information


: I would appreciate your feedback for any changes. THE END