HOTEL RESERVATIONS ARE LESS THAN IN A TYPICAL SUMMER
Local officials this week told The Landmark that anticipated hotel occupancy numbers in Platte County are not living up to World Cup expectations.
This summer’s reservation numbers for Platte County hotels are struggling compared to the high expectations that had been placed on anticipated visitor numbers during the month of June and July, when Kansas City will play host to six World Cup soccer matches from June 16 to July 11.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association surveyed their member hotels earlier this month, and 85-90% of hoteliers reported bookings for the upcoming World Cup are below expectations.
Getting more local, the same early disappointment is being felt by hotel operators in Platte County.
“During our April 22 meeting with the hotels and area law enforcement, all the hotels present were conveying the same message–occupancy for June and July was lower than expected,” Jennifer Goering, executive director of the Platte County Convention Visitors Bureau, said to The Landmark on Monday.
And not just lower than expectations. It’s worse than that.
“Bookings are trailing typical June/July levels,” Goering reports.
She said the bookings at a pace even lower than the typical summer months is being driven by high room rates, blocks of rooms being canceled by the sponsoring FIFA organization, and weak international demand.
Last June in Platte County, 72.6% of hotel rooms in the county were occupied.. That was a drop from 77% in June of 2024.
Last July in Platte County, hotels had a 67.2% occupancy rate. That was down from 71.5% in July of 2024.
Some of the key findings in that recent survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association include:
·Weakest Market: Kansas City is ranked lower than all other 10 U.S. host cities regarding World Cup booking demand.
·High Cancellations: Hotels reported the FIFA soccer organization canceled 70-95% of originally contracted room blocks that it had reserved for staff and other FIFA groups.
FIFA had a deadline in its hotel contracts to release rooms without penalty. Kansas City officials have acknowledged FIFA released more rooms than anticipated.
That has left hotels scrambling–and hoping–to fill rooms that they had believed would be occupied.
·Key Factors: Over 70% of operators cited visa barriers and weak international demand as the primary causes for sluggish bookings.
International tourism has been down significantly in the United States in the past year, marked by a months-long slump throughout 2025 and early 2026.
International arrivals into the United States fell by about 14 percent by mid-2025, and in January of 2026 international arrivals fell by nearly five percent nationwide compared to January of 2025.
·Outlook: While current numbers are low, local leaders and some operators are hoping for a late surge in bookings closer to the matches.
Estimates being used by KC2026, the local organizing committee for World Cup in Kansas City, have for months put the number of estimated visitors coming to the city for the World Cup at 650,000, with $653 million in direct economic impact across the Kansas City region.
Critics are now casting major doubt on those numbers, and their arguments are boosted by the disappointing hotel reservations trickling in.
Optimists are still hoping for a late surge.
“We were hoping to see an uptick in room reservations six weeks out – now that has shifted to 30 days out. That is also what KC2026 and VisitKC are projecting for when we can see an increase in reservations – incoming visitors waiting until closer in to book their rooms,” Goering of the Platte County CVB said this week.
“Short term rentals are also playing a role in hotel reservations as there has been an uptick there across the Kansas City metro area – including Platte County,” she said.
“I think we are all in the ‘wait and see’ time frame. We know people are coming in for World Cup but just don’t know what those numbers will actually be,” Goering remarked.
In a recent report, Kevin Robinson, Platte County auditor, estimated that the net sales tax revenue impact from World Cup for Platte County could be anywhere from $238,000 to $402,000 in lodging, hospitality and retail tax revenue.
“While a measurable increase in economic activity is likely, historical evidence indicates that realized fiscal impacts are often significantly lower than initial projections due to behavioral and structural economic factors,” Robinson told The Landmark.
Robinson said based on available data, Platte County could have about 48,000 to 52,000 visitors during the 39-day tournament period spanning portions of June and July.
Goering admits no one really knows what to expect.
“I think the numbers will ebb and flow with the scheduled matches, visitors coming in a day or two before and then leaving one or two days after,” she said.
“The wild cards are the round of 32 and quarterfinal matchups. Depending on which teams are playing, there could be significant interest and an increase of fans coming in. Again, just don’t know yet. This entire tournament is the great unknown,” Goering stated.
