New Zealand braces for World Cup visitor influx
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New Zealand can expect to welcome 95,000 visitors for this year’s Rugby World Cup, which gets underway on 9 September. The revised figure was calculated by tournament organizers, RNZ 2011 based on offshore ticket sales for matches, and marks an 11.8% increase from the previous estimate of 85,000 visitors.
“The upsurge in support from overseas fans is a strong sign of confidence in our ability to host the biggest sporting event New Zealand has ever held,” said RNZ 2011 CEO, Martin Snedden. “It also underlines what we have always said; that this tournament brings multiple economic benefits to our country as well as providing a priceless opportunity to show the best of New Zealand to the world.”
The latest analysis of ticket sales showed that visitors are coming from more than 100 countries during the six-week tournament. More than 30,000 fans are expected from from Australia, while 25,000 fans are expected from the UK & Ireland and another 10,000 from France. A further 10,000 tickets have been sold in the Americas, with visitors from the USA, Canada and Argentina providing the lion’s share of support.
Visitors will stay for an average of 23 days and will travel extensively around New Zealand. Forty-four percent are expected to be first-time visitors to the country.
To-date, ticket revenue has reached NZ$234 million (US$195 million) from the 1.08 million tickets sold.
“Over the last 10 weeks or so, since the 100 days to go milestone, nearly 300,000 tickets worth NZ$65 million have been sold,” Snedden said. “Our challenge over the remaining weeks is to generate another NZ$34 million of revenues, the equivalent of about another 230,000 ticket sales. Given what we have sold over the last 10 weeks, this is clearly achievable.”
A RNZ 2011 poll also confirmed that New Zealanders are getting in the tournament spirit. Across the country 88% of Kiwis say they are interested to some degree in the event. More than two thirds of people in the country said they are looking forward to the Rugby World Cup more than any other event in the next two to three years.
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