News

World Cup fans help South Africa's ATMs score

July 5, 2010

Football fans visiting South Africa to attend the FIFA World Cup dramatically boosted ATM withdrawals in June, Spark ATM Systems (Pty) Ltd., an independent deployer of the machines, reported Monday. Last month, tourists withdrew an average of R413 (U.S. $53.88), up 11.26 percent compared with an average cash withdrawal of R371 (U.S. $48.43) in June 2009, according to the Spark Cash Index, which measures cash withdrawals across Spark's ATM network located in the country's rural and urban areas. South Africa's currency is the rand.

"The FIFA World Cup has resulted in an increase in foreigners to South Africa and this has been demonstrated by the resulting ATM usage," Spark officials said in a statement. "The portion of foreign card usage for June 2010 increased by 52 percent over the same period last year, with foreign withdrawals comprising 8 percent of transactions, up from 5 percent in June 2009."

South Africa Monday reported 200,000 tourists, a 25 percent increase from last June, have so far visited the country to attend the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which began June 11 and will end Sunday. Grant Thornton International, an accounting and consulting firm, said South Africa will earn $1.1 billion in tourist revenue from World Cup visitors.