December 1 – The World Cup in 2018 will bring up to 500,000 international visitors who will on average spend 31% more on their credit cards than ordinary visitors to the country.
The figures come from FIFA sponsor Visa, the governing body’s Official Payment Service Partner, which has released travel and spending data predictions for the 2018 World Cup.
For June-July Russia has a baseline average of 4.3 million visitors. Visa reckons that will grow by 300,000 to 500,000 (a 6-10% increase), with 69% coming from Europe, 12% from the Asia-Pacific, and 8% from the Americas.
Not only will there be more people but, if the historical data from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil is an indicator, they will spend on average 31% more, broken down by 25% more at restaurants, over 10% more on transportation (despite the various free transport options being provided in host cities), and close to 10% more on lodging.
And Visa will be along every step of the way to help them: “From unveiling the latest payment innovations to upgrading payment terminals to allow for contactless cards and digital payments, such as those made via phone or watch, throughout official venues, Visa will continue to elevate the fan experience. Visa provides simple and secure payment options for those in attendance, so they can get back to their seats quickly and focus on the match,” said Ekaterina Petelina, country manager, Visa Russia.
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