If the World Cup of football this summer does not fill up, the hospitality sector in the United States “offers discounts” to counter the concern that “ticket prices, inflationary tensions, and anti-American sentiment are discouraging fans from reconsidering their travel plans,” notes the Financial Times.
Hotel room rates in cities hosting the competition, such as Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, have “fallen by about a third from the peak reached earlier in the year,” according to data from the analysis firm Lighthouse Intelligence.
“I see many starting to panic and lowering their prices,” remarks Scott Yesner, manager of a hotel chain in Philadelphia.
Where are the “hundreds of thousands” of visitors?
“Many professionals hoped that the World Cup jointly organized by the United States, Canada, and Mexico would help reverse the downward trend for tourism in the United States,” explains the British economic media.
The expectation is particularly high because Gianni Infantino, the president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the organizer of the Cup, had promised host cities “hundreds of thousands” of visitors. Around the “rare lucky ones” who have a ticket, he said, “many, many others will simply come to participate in something exceptional.”
However, Vijay Dandapani, president of the New York Hotel Association, sums it up:
“It will certainly not be the rush promised by FIFA.”
In fact, FIFA itself “canceled thousands of reserved room nights for its technical teams.”
Aran Ryan, from the specialized firm Tourism Economics, predicts a “3.4% increase in the number of international visitors to the United States this year, compared to an estimate of 3.9% in December.” He explains that “ticket prices, border controls, and hostility towards the United States are raising concerns exacerbated by the conflict in Iran.”
