Posted in

Toronto hotels say bookings declined during World Cup, experts question economic value

A study prepared by Deloitte for FIFA said the tournament will generate $940 million in “economic output” in the Greater Toronto Area and $3.8 billion across Canada, but Matheson says the report is “pure propaganda.”

Hosting the World Cup hasn’t exactly been a windfall for Toronto-area hotels.

According to data compiled for the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, the percentage of GTA hotel rooms occupied during the first two weeks of the world’s biggest sporting event is down substantially compared to the same period last year, raising questions about the economic value of hosting.

In the week ending June 13 — which included Canada’s tournament opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina — the overall occupancy rate for area hotels dipped to 82 per cent, down from 83 per cent in the same period last year.


It doesn’t help that Toronto is known as a 3rd World Dumpster Fire.

Share