Why Vancouver might have fewer tourists than expected for FIFA World Cup
While Vancouver continues to look more and more like a FIFA World Cup host city, the level of visitor demand is not what many anticipated.
For years, people have been gearing up and getting excited for the World Cup and what it could bring to Vancouver, like when Mayor Ken Sim said it would be the equivalent of 30 to 40 Super Bowls in the span of weeks. It also hasn’t been a cheap endeavour, with a report from Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer estimating that government costs for the games could exceed $1 billion.
Within this discourse, there have been dire warnings that Vancouver, a city that already has a well-documented hotel shortage, wouldn’t have enough rooms to hold all of the anticipated visitors.
For example, Airbnb (which has also been calling on the B.C. government to lift its short-term rental regulations) reported in late 2025 that Vancouver could have a 70,000-night shortfall during FIFA, with 15,000 fans without accommodation on peak days.
Now, the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) is blaming this “public story” for the soft hotel demand the city is now seeing in advance of FIFA. In a recent statement, it said that it had painted a picture that there were no rooms to book within Vancouver, which might have incentivized travellers to look elsewhere.
BCHA said that CoStar forward booking data shows that June hotel occupancy across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland is nine per cent behind the same time last year.
And in Downtown Vancouver, occupancy is 15 per cent behind.
“Current booking data shows a more complex picture than some of the early anticipation surrounding the tournament suggested. Vancouver is not sold out. Hotel demand is uneven. Visitors still have good options across the region,” reads the release from BCHA.
“Despite its global profile, FIFA has not generated the broad hotel demand many expected. Activity remains concentrated around match dates and continues to be shaped by late booking patterns, room block releases, and normal summer travel decisions,” it continues.
BCHA pointed out that FIFA recently cancelled thousands of hotel bookings, and travellers are seeing more availability across Metro Vancouver.
When Daily Hive Urbanized asked BCHA back in March if these cancellations would result in prices going down, they replied and said they do not expect “any significant change in hotel rates.”
At that time, BCHA CEO and president Paul Hawes told Daily Hive Urbanized that “Vancouver is a world-class destination and is performing well for FIFA.”
Hawes said that the room cancellations “displaced” some business, but that the World Cup is happening during an already busy time for Vancouver.
In the statement, BCHA added that there is a “different mix of demand than many first assumed,” with a significant number of FIFA attendees, local or regional visitors.
While BCHA didn’t comment on the high costs of hotel rooms in Vancouver, some have speculated that the sky-high prices could be a deterrent. In March, Daily Hive Urbanized analyzed hotel room costs during FIFA, finding prices listed at $1,723, $1,242, and $2,325 a night.
Instead, BCHA said that “perception matters in tourism. When consumers are repeatedly told there will be ‘no rooms available,’ many simply choose not to come.”
“The message now should be simple: Vancouver is ready, rooms are available, and visitors should make their plans. B.C.’s hotel community has invested in preparing for this moment and is ready to welcome local, regional, domestic, and international guests throughout the summer.”