Kenyans heading to Brazil for World Cup 2014 - shinekenya

More than 1,000 Kenyans are
expected to travel to Brazil in the
next one month to watch the 2014
FIFA World Cup.
While majority of these are soccer
fans, some individuals, families and
couples who are not ready to miss
out on the fanfare that goes with
the world’s biggest sport festival
have paid for holiday packages
lasting the entire duration, they will
not set foot in any stadium.
Despite the high cost of the trip,
many Kenyans continue to make last
minute arrangements to travel for
what will arguably be a once-in-a-
lifetime experience. Some companies
are also taking their staff to Brazil.
Bunson Travel and Carlson Wagonlit
Travel, an authorised Match
Hospitality sub-agent, is selling the
2014 FIFA World Cup tickets-inclusive
of hospitality packages in the East
African region.
By yesterday, the firm had sold more
than 500 packages in Kenya, and
reported massive last-minute
requests for the same.
“The numbers keep growing and
there seems to have been a sudden
upsurge in interest. With the
number of requests we have so far,
the number of packages bought
could surpass the 1,000 mark,” John
Mwanthi, a senior tour consultant at
the firm.

Yet, the outing to watch the most
exciting tournament in sports will
not be cheap and depending on
one’s host city and the stage of the
tournament, the cost of the packages
could be staggering.
A couple staying in a three-star
hotel in Sao Paolo or Rio de Janeiro
will, for instance, pay Sh2.7 million
for an eight-day package that will
include watching a semi-final or the
final match, while excluding the
main meals.
Generally, the packages include air
fares, accommodation at three, four
and five star hotels, breakfast daily,
transfers to airports and stadiums,
Portuguese guides, parking passes
and visa costs.
The match hospitality package will
also include snacks and drinks
before and after a match as well as a
Category 1 match ticket. Save for
breakfast, those travelling will have
to separately pay for the other
meals.

Preferred matches
Mwanthi reveals that most of the
Kenyan clients have booked tickets
to watch Spain versus Netherlands,
Germany versus Portugal, Cameroon
versus Brazil and Germany versus
Ghana.
“For the knockout stages, most of the
Kenyan clients have preferred
matches in Sao Paulo and Rio de
Janeiro),” he says and adds “Most
people are, however, taking this as a
holiday, and some do not even have
any match tickets but just want to
enjoy the atmosphere in Brazil from
the start of the knock-out stages to
the end of the tournament.”
Phillip Maina, 22, will be taking a
nine-day holiday to Brazil alongside
his mother, his 22-year-old brother
and 15-year-old sister.
He reveals that the trip, which will
see them spend six days in Brasilia
and three more days in Rio de
Janeiro, will cost the family
approximately Sh2 million, with
almost half the amount spent on
airfare.

“We plan to watch Portugal play
Ghana, and most probably watch the
first match of the round of 16. But it
is more of a holiday and all we want
is to enjoy life in Brazil,” says a
buoyant Maina.
With a high cost of living and
skyrocketing prices in Brazil due to
the World Cup, the holiday will be
rather expensive.
A four-day package during the group
matches for someone staying in a
four-star hotel will cost Sh455,880 in
addition to a Category 1 match ticket
and hospitality package going for
Sh60,900.

Final match
A four-day package during the round
of 16 while staying in a four-star
hotel will cost Sh631,880 including a
Category One ticket while a similar
package during the quarter finals
will cost Sh804,054. But it is those
who want to watch a semi-final or
final match in the cities of Rio de
Janeiro or Sao Paolo, who will feel
the pinch in the pocket; the rates
here are among the most expensive
in the world
“Some cities are cheaper, but being
in Rio for a week during the knock-
out stages will cost anything from
15,000 US dollars upwards,” states
Mwanthi.

Nakumatt Holdings is among
companies that will be sponsoring
some of their staff and customers to
Brazil.
The retail outlet will have a party of
more than six staff members and
customers for the World Cup.
Customers Yvonne Musila and
Musila Munuve will be heading to
Brazil courtesy of Visa after the
former emerged the winner in a
draw involving customers who
recently settled their shopping bills
worth Sh3,000 and above using their
Visa cards. They will watch the
World Cup final match.
On the other end, Nakumatt staffers
Wilson Wachira and Erick Okello will
fly to Brazil courtesy of Anisuma
Traders, the authorised distributor
of SONY Electronic products in
Kenya.
Brazil Embassy says 350 visas are
processed already, but more are
expected to be processed in the next
one month for World Cup.