Have the anticipated economic benefits of Afcon been overhyped?

Have the anticipated economic benefits of Afcon been overhyped? USD 250 mn in sponsorship from Total. Some half a bn TV viewers for advertisers to target. Thousands of overseas fans spending money on travel, food, hotels and merchandise. Afcon is generating considerable inflows, and the expectation that Egypt’s economy will see a USD 1 bn boost as a result comes as welcome news after many years of subdued tourism revenues. But capitalizing on the hype to create long-term economic benefits may be easier said than done, according to this episode of the BBC’s World Business Report (listen, starting 16:16). Economic boons can come to nothing, and streams of overseas visitors can disappear overnight — a sad fact that former host countries Gabon and Ghana can attest.