Share

Foreign fan numbers 'promising'

Johannesburg -  About 110 000 foreign visitors came to South Africa for the opening days of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, organisers said on Wednesday, with a similar number of South Africans also returning from overseas.

Foreign arrivals were up by about a third compared to the first part of June last year, with the increase believed to be largely World Cup fans, said Rich Mkhondo, spokesperson for the local organising committee.

A total of 456 000 foreigners visited the country from June 1 to 13, up from about 345 000 during the same period last year, Mkhondo told a press conference.

"This increase for 2010 can be clearly attributed to the Fifa World Cup," he said.

The home affairs ministry also indicated that a large number of South Africans returned from overseas for the games.

About 140 000 additional South Africans entered the country compared to the same period in June last year, it said in a statement.

The ministry said arrivals were expected to keep rising as the tournament continues. "We are quite sure that this figure will continue increasing as the World Cup progresses," it said.

South Africa expects a total of 300 000 foreign visitors during the four-week tournament, down from an initial forecast of 450 000.

 - AFP

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.90
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.86
+0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.36
+0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.31
+0.2%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders