The countdown to the FIFA World Cup is well and truly under way and the rush by travel companies to capture related traffic and business appears to be growing.
Within hours of the draw for the prestigious football (soccer!) tournament being made in December 2009, a string of companies had dedicated online pages created to push air tickets and accommodation.
The latest is UK-based metasearch engine Skyscanner, which is throwing its weight behind a dedicated microsite for football fans in the run up to the event in June and July this year.
As well as providing editorial content about each of the 32 teams and a fixture schedule, users are able to research destinations and the venues for each match as well as check package deals for visitors.
Later this week a dedicated search widget will be included so users can check flights solely for South Africa.
Hotel and car hire search will also be included.
Skyscanner says it is also planning to make the dedicated World Cup tool available to those that currently use its flight search widget affiliate programme, although this will not include the hotel and car hire elements.
Other travel companies are also jumping on the World Cup bandwagon with tour operator Thomas Cook the most inventive so far with its marketing of a package priced at £1,966, signifying the year 1996 when the England football team last won the tournament.
However, it hasn't been an easy ride for every travel company hoping to take advantage of the event.
South African low cost airline Kulula fell foul of FIFA when it produced an ad which apparently impeded on the copyright of prized items such as soccer balls and historically significant national emblems.