Foreign Tourist Numbers: Read 'Em and Weep

More information on the numbers of foreigners expected at South Africa 2010.

They expected/hoped for 450,000. Which would have been grand because it's the foreigners who really hemorrhage cash at a World Cup. Or any global event.

But as we have noted, prices for airfare, lodging, tickets ... were offputting to foreigners. To the nth degree.

Well, and some other issues.

Including crime, race tension and the difficulty in moving around inside South Africa, which is a big country with bad train service, apparently shaky internal airlines and dangerous roads.

So, the number for foreigners ... as low as 100,000? Yikes.

Though Danny Jordaan of the organizing committee is hoping it will crawl up to 300,000. And he seems to be banking on England getting to the semis, triggering a rush of English fans to the Southern Hemisphere in early July.

Well, good luck with that. Though we wouldn't think organizers should be openly cheering for the success of a specific country.

So, it looks as if South Africa may still sell all 2.9 million tickets available ... just not nearly as many as they hoped to those free-spending foreigners.