The recently ended world summit in Johannesburg earned 10.6 billion rand ($1bn) and created 18,040 jobs.

A report from South Africa's tourism ministry said that $800 million was earned through increased economic activity and $260 million from spending by delegates.

The 10 day World Summit on Sustainable Development ended on 4 September.

One of its chief aims was to promote sustainable means of enriching the world's poor while protecting the environment on a long-term basis.

Tens of thousands attended the summit.

For South Africa, there were immediate results, according to the Environment and Tourism Minister Valli Moosa.

He said: that "results exceeded all expectations" and that, "the summit generated a good return on investment", according to the Associated Press agency.

The South African government spent $45m on summit arrangements, while international sponsors of the conference, donor agencies and private companies put in $62m.

High-spending delegates

The summit was attended by 45,000 international delegates, including 104 heads of state.

A survey commissioned by the tourism ministry involving 400 of the delegates indicated that those who attended spent, on average, between $2,700 and $3,900 each.

The main areas of spending were on food, transport and accommodation.

BBC correspondents in Johannesburg for the summit said that hotels had increased their prices during the summit.

The company established to run the summit went over budget - its total expenditure on the event was $62 million, although no details have been released about the initial budget for the summit, according to the Business Report website in South Africa.

Demonstrations took place outside the summit venue

There have also been no details released so far of the final cost of policing the summit and dealing with anti-globalisation and environmental protestors.

Tourism Minister Valli Moosa was pleased with the earnings from the summit and the longer-term implications.

"We can conclude that the short and long-term effects of the summit on South Africa as a tourist destination of choice will be significant.

BBC correspondents who reported on the summit said that another trade flourished during the summit - large numbers of prostitutes flocked to Johannesburg for the ten days anticipating a rise in business.