FIFA cancels thousands of hotel bookings in host cities, including Toronto & Vancouver

FIFA World Cup organizers have started canceling thousands of hotel reservations in Toronto, Vancouver, and other North American host cities, a practice that industry experts say is common for major events.

According to the British Columbia Hotel Association, FIFA has cancelled about 70 to 80 percent of its hotel bookings in Vancouver, which represents roughly 15,000 room nights during the tournament from June 11 to July 19.

These rooms are now available for regular guests to reserve, the association noted.

Paul Hawes, president of the association, told The Globe and Mail that such cancellations are typical for large events, as organizers often adjust their room allocations as the event date approaches.

“In this case, however, the volume released is higher than typically expected. It appears consistent with what is being seen in other host cities across North America,” Hawes told the outlet.

Hotels in Toronto are experiencing similar cancellations, Sara Anghel, president of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, told The Globe.

While she didn’t have exact figures yet, Anghel noted that several member hotels had reported blocks of rooms being released.

ABC News reported that FIFA also canceled roughly 2,000 of its initial 10,000 hotel bookings in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, the Mexican newspaper El Financiero said FIFA had likewise cancelled blocks of rooms in Mexico City.

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