{"id":118134,"date":"2026-05-15T14:18:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T14:18:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=118134"},"modified":"2026-05-15T14:18:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T14:18:21","slug":"us-hotel-owners-expected-a-world-cup-boom-so-far-it-hasnt-happened","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=118134","title":{"rendered":"US hotel owners expected a World Cup boom \u2013 so far it hasn\u2019t happened"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>5 Minute, 42 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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Walking the streets of Kansas City, Houston, Miami and New York it is hard not to notice a World Cup is coming.<\/p>\n

Billboards abound, there are signs outside bars and stores are churning out tournament-themed merchandise.<\/p>\n

But for hoteliers checking their booking systems, the buzz is more of a murmur.<\/p>\n

The industry body says most hotels in World Cup host cities are seeing bookings lower than this time last year, and those who spoke to the BBC said they were underwhelmed so far.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were sold this expectation the World Cup would be a big phenomenon, people have been talking about it for years,\u201d said Deidre Mathis, who owns the Wanderstay Boutique Hotel in Houston, Texas.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo when we looked at our calendar and saw in February, March and April that we still weren\u2019t sold out [for the tournament] \u2013 and it is not just us in Houston, but it\u2019s all over \u2013 we were left sitting here just very confused,\u201d she told the BBC.<\/p>\n

The Wanderstay is a mile on foot from the Houston fan zone and a short drive from the stadium hosting Houston\u2019s matches. It is currently at 45% capacity for the period of the tournament, Mathis told the BBC, compared with 70% for the same time last year.<\/p>\n

\"US<\/figure>\n

Mathis blamed the \u201cpolitical climate\u201d during US President Donald Trump\u2019s second term in office, in particular\u00a0immigration raids\u00a0carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in cities across the country.<\/p>\n

She also pointed to the rising cost of living in the wake of the US-Israel war in Iran, as well as the \u201cphenomenally\u201d expensive tickets to World Cup matches.<\/p>\n

Even Trump, an enthusiastic supporter of both the World Cup and Fifa president Gianni Infantino, has said he \u201cwouldn\u2019t pay it either\u201d when asked about the prices. Tickets for sale for the final at New Jersey\u2019s MetLife Stadium were officially offered at up to $32,970 (\u00a324,540), while resale tickets have been listed for more than $2m.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I think it\u2019s a bunch of things, all combined into one,\u201d Mathis said. \u201cBut it is just so unfortunate, and I am hoping that in the next four weeks, things can be turned around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mathis urged Fifa to drop the ticket prices, as well as calling for the US government to expedite visa applications for fans hoping to attend.<\/p>\n

The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), which represents tens of thousands of clients from major hotel chains to independent B&Bs, found eight in 10 hotels in host cities are seeing lower demand than expected, warning the tournament has not translated into strong bookings.<\/p>\n

In an AHLA survey, many described the tournament as a \u201cnon-event\u201d while a majority said bookings are tracking below levels seen in a typical summer.<\/p>\n

AHLA president and chief executive Rosanna Maietta told the BBC the war in Iran was partly to blame. But she said some fans may be waiting for certainty over where their team will be playing before booking accommodation.<\/p>\n

By contrast, Airbnb has said the World Cup is to be \u201cthe biggest hosting event\u201d in its history.<\/p>\n

\"US<\/figure>\n

Hamish Husband, from the Association of Tartan Army Clubs, will spend as much as \u00a310,000 travelling to the US to follow Scotland\u2019s progress in the tournament. He and his brother are staying in hotels throughout the competition, and the final bill will depend on how far Scotland go.<\/p>\n

He said the rare Scottish appearance at the World Cup has meant many fans will travel, despite cost concerns, the main one being \u201cthe outrageous ticket pricing Fifa has enforced on fans\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no fairness in football anymore, but $1,000 for Scotland v Haiti tickets \u2013 that is scandalous,\u201d he told the BBC.<\/p>\n

Husband noted that in Mexico, locals on average salaries would be unable to afford tickets to see the games, and praised Canada\u2019s efforts to curb sky-high ticket resale costs.<\/p>\n

The Tartan Army, as travelling Scottish fans are called, became one of the highlights of the Uefa Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, beloved by locals for singing and dancing their way from Munich to Cologne to Stuttgart.<\/p>\n

\"US<\/figure>\n

Stephen Jenkins, who manages the Fontaine Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, told the BBC it was in \u201ca very similar spot\u201d in terms of bookings to this time last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not seeing the pick-up we had anticipated,\u201d said Jenkins, who is pulling out all the stops for the World Cup. He had expected a boom due to the \u201conce-in-a-lifetime experience\u201d of the tournament being in town, but has so far been let down.<\/p>\n

But Jenkins told the BBC he saw a small bump in bookings when the schedule of fixtures was announced, and expects to see \u201cmuch more of an uptick as the matches approach\u201d.<\/p>\n

In an illustration of the extent to which local businesses are pinning their hopes on the tournament being a success, Jenkins said the fan festival would be \u201ca difference maker\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Fontaine itself is hosting a \u201cCulinary Cup\u201d, which will see guests able to eat country-themed meals to match the teams playing in Kansas City.<\/p>\n

But, with Argentina scheduled to play in the city next month, Jenkins said superstar Lionel Messi has not yet had the star pull of pop giant Taylor Swift, whose Eras tour came to the city in 2023.<\/p>\n

While not a \u201cfair comparison\u201d due to the compressed schedule compared to the World Cup, Swift coming to town was \u201ca city-wide sellout type of event\u201d, Jenkins said.<\/p>\n

\"US<\/figure>\n

Manuel Deisen, the general manager of InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, also told the BBC the \u201cvolume of enquiries and bookings we\u2019re seeing is tracking lower to typical periods\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not quite what we had hoped for,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

But Deisen said he has seen \u201cincredible enthusiasm\u201d for the tournament, and expects a last-minute pickup as fans hold out to confirm bookings.<\/p>\n

The hotel is also making the World Cup a key part of its summer, with plans to show games and host football-themed events for travelling and local fans throughout the competition.<\/p>\n

Fifa said demand for the tournament has been \u201cunprecedented\u201d and that more than five million tickets have been sold. \u201cExcitement continues to build for the largest sporting event on the planet,\u201d a spokesman told the BBC.<\/p>\n

The spokesman hit back at claims tickets are overpriced, adding that some have been sold for as little as $60, while more expensive tickets have been priced to prevent profiteering on resale markets.<\/p>\n

The White House has established a World Cup taskforce to ensure the tournament runs smoothly. As part of preparations, it has\u00a0exempted football fans from 50 countries\u00a0from having to pay a $15,000 deposit when applying for visas if they can show they have valid match tickets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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