Empty rooms and Fifa cancellations - US hotels fear World Cup washout
Summary
A report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) shows that hotel bookings in US cities hosting the World Cup are much lower than expected. The AHLA blames FIFA for blocking many hotel rooms, causing high prices and many cancellations, which may reduce the expected economic benefits from the tournament.Key Facts
- The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 in various US cities.
- The AHLA represents over 32,000 hotels and says bookings are far below predictions in most host cities.
- FIFA sold over five million tickets but has canceled many hotel room bookings they had reserved.
- FIFA booked many rooms early, causing artificially high prices and then canceling many, leading to lower availability now.
- Hotel prices remain high, over $300 a night in some cities, which is too expensive for many fans.
- Some fans are staying farther from city centers and renting cars to save money.
- FIFA rejects AHLA’s claims and says it followed normal procedures with hotel partners.
- A FIFA study predicted the World Cup would add $17.2 billion to the US economy and create 185,000 jobs, but lower hotel bookings could reduce this impact.
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