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July 3, 2010

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Fan Arrivals Beat Estimates

THE World Cup in South Africa has attracted far more foreign fans than expected, adding to revenue and the already sizable long term benefit of a successful tournament, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said yesterday.

A relatively trouble-free competition, dispelling earlier fears criminals would target visitors, has helped lure more soccer fans, particularly from South America.

"The numbers already indicate that the numbers of people coming to this country are far higher than anybody thought," Gordhan told reporters at the Soccer City stadium that will host the final match on July 11.

"At one stage we were talking about 300 and something thousand and then down to 250,000 and probably we're closer to the 500,000 figure now. In June alone, there were about 200,000 people that came in ... that's where the revenue would come in."

Fans have largely been safe, with no major incidents of violent crime and games over the past three weeks have been well attended.

 

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