Brazil Exceeds Tourism Expectations For World Cup With More Than 1 Million Visitors

Brazilian tourism officials announced that a total of 1 million "foreign visitors visited the country" for the FIFA World Cup, according to Loretta Chao of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. The number "exceeds the 600,000 tourists from abroad that Brazil’s Tourism Board originally expected to attend by 67%, and over 60% were in the country for the first time." By comparison, 310,000 "foreign tourists went to South Africa" for the '10 event, while Germany "received 2 million foreign visitors" for the '06 World Cup. About 95% of the visitors who came said that they "intend to return" (WSJ.com, 7/15). In London, Ian Herbert writes under the header, "Hosts With The Most: Thanks Brazil, You Were A World Cup Winner Too." The World Cup has "quickened the Brazilian desire to see their country become better," and it "demonstrated to the nation that they can make things work." Their planes "ran on time," the airports "were efficient," and police "made cities safe" (London INDEPENDENT, 7/16).