Following the German World Cup team’s progress to the quarter finals in Cape Town, Hogg Robinson Group (HRG), the world class corporate travel services company, continues to play its part in ensuring the team is in the right place at the right time.

The German Football Association (DFB) tasked HRG Germany to manage its travel and accommodation arrangements for the tournament.  The World Cup tournament in South Africa marks the end of two years of intensive planning by HRG Sports Europe to ensure all requirements are expertly managed for the DFB from good training camp facilities to accommodation arrangements for the media and the players’ families.

Wolfgang Wirthmann, Managing Director of HRG Sports Europe, comments:  “HRG has a long-standing partnership with the DFB and so has substantial experience of managing such complex arrangements.  It is important to have good partners with airlines, car rentals and hotels to ensure a smooth operation which is where HRG excels with our established relationships really coming into their own.”

The DFB has also drawn on the expertise within HRG’s worldwide network with the local partner in South Africa, HRG Rennies Travel, which is collaborating closely with the DFB on transportation arrangements as well as providing meet and greet services. Other responsibilities include:

  * Working closely with the DFB during the build up to the event by overseeing site inspections and evaluating team base camp venues
  * Arranging accommodation and transfers for the media and the German team’s fans and supporters
  * Fulfilling all domestic air tickets through a dedicated office for fans and supporters

Kathy Harris, Managing Director of HRG Rennies Travel in South Africa, says:  “We have been able to support HRG Sports Europe to manage all necessary requirements for the finals using our significant depth of experience and resources locally.  It is important that the German football team and their support staff have all the facilities at hand so that they can concentrate on the football.  We have even set up a call centre to provide efficient solutions to last minute requests.”

HRG has been instrumental in providing the travel and accommodation arrangements for the German Football Team (and its entourage) which has already played matches in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein, and is implementing the plans for the German Team’s next game, which will take place against Argentina in Cape Town on 3 July.