Less foreign fans than expected during Euro 2012

Fans pose for the camera: photo - EPA/ Kamil Krzaczynski

Prior to the tournament, Minister of Sport Joanna Mucha had forecast that over 1 million foreign fans would visit Poland during the tournament.

However, after the opening group phase ended, it was announced that 394,000 foreign fans had come to the country.

The two quarter-finals on Polish soil between Germany and Greece and Portugal and the Czech Republic, drew a good deal less. About 30,000 came from neighbouring Germany, and about 15,000 from the Czech Republic. However, only a few thousand fans each came from more distant Portugal and Greece.

Although it is likely that over 30,000 Germans will descend on Warsaw for the semi-final against Italy on Thursday, Polish daily Rzeczpospolita predicts that the overall numbers of foreign fans visiting Poland throughout the tournament wiill not cross the 500,000 mark.

The final figures will be released by PL.2012, the official body charged with organising the Polish side of the championships, on 3 July.

Nevertheless, in spite of the thinning out of fan-zones in Poland's four host cities, enthusiastic press coverage has generated invaluable promotions for the destinations involved, a bonus that may be enjoyed over the coming years.

Gdansk alone estimated that international press coverage of the city during the first two weeks of the tournament was worth 22 million euro (93.4 million zloty). The town hall noted that 99 percent of the press coverage about Gdansk had been positive. (nh)