Royce Chwin is hoping these gloomy May showers turn into June blooms — especially when it comes to hotel rooms.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

• Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
• Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
• Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
• Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
• Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

• Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.
• Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.
• Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.
• Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
• Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account.
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
• Enjoy additional articles per month.
• Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
• Enjoy additional articles per month
• Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

or View more offers

Vancouver has been just as susceptible to the hotel-booking doldrums that have taken the wind out of the World Cup sales in other host cities. A report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association in April said 80 per cent of hotels in 11 U.S. Cup host cities were running well below their booking forecasts.

What World Cup bump? Vancouver hotel bookings down 20 per cent this year Back to video

And it’s the same in Vancouver.

“For the month of June, our booking pace is down about 20 per cent compared to last year,” said Chwin, president and CEO of Destination Vancouver. “We think it’s a number of things. Not surprisingly, geopolitics are playing into this, and of course the impact to traveller confidence, particularly as it relates to the U.S. … in terms of how they’re perceived; issues with TSA; the cost of fuel, especially for aviation; the cost for gas for vehicles; the cost for food. You’ve got a whole number of economic pressures and issues against the backdrop of the world’s biggest sporting event coming, which is not an inexpensive event to attend.”

A Forbes report, citing analytics firm CoStar, pegged the occupancy rate on game days at just 39 per cent — a whopping 53 per cent less than the same dates a year ago.

It had widely been assumed that Vancouver and Toronto would benefit from the onerous travel experience the U.S. is imposing on visitors for the Cup. Between travel bans on four countries, a pause on visa applications for 75 others, the lengthy visa process itself and the spectre of ICE officers looming at games, it was thought that the Canadian cities would see a surge in the number of visitors above the expected bump.

It hasn’t happened yet.

1. Advertisement 1

   Story continues below

   This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

“This is the shift in consumer behaviour we have seen develop over the last three or four years, this reluctance to make those final bookings … until much closer to the actual event, Chwin said.

“I’m very cautiously optimistic that over the next two or three weeks, we’ll continue to see rooms pick up on accommodations in Vancouver. What we’re keen to see is, from now until perhaps the beginning of June, what the booking pace is going to look like last-minute.”

Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, a fan advocacy group based in Germany, told The Associated Press that he was waiting out the hotels.

“Fans that are used to travelling for tournaments know that this price will always go down,” Evain said. “There are many examples of hotel owners regretting that they priced too high and then panicking at the last minute and reducing prices.”

Vancouver remains a popular destination. This season’s cruise ship season is expected to set a record, with 358 ships visiting Vancouver with 1.4 million passengers.

Chwin said booking for air arrivals to Vancouver for June through August is up six per cent from last year, with the U.K. at 21 per cent, China at 27 per cent and Australia at 13 per cent leading the way. Airline bookings from countries playing games at B.C. Place during the Cup are all up, with one exception. Belgium is up 38 per cent, Qatar is up 20 per cent, New Zealand is up 23 per cent and Switzerland is up nine per cent. Egypt, however, is down 12 per cent.

All those visitors will need places to stay.

“It’s almost like June exists in its own interesting bubble, yet to be defined, but July and August and September are actually playing out very, very well so far,” Chwin said.

Chwin said short-term rental availability is up by 12 per cent, but bookings are flat. There’s the possibility many soccer fans are staying with family or friends, or waiting on hotel prices to drop.

The relatively low numbers of hotel rooms in Metro Vancouver — around 30,000 — has helped push room prices higher in the past five years, from $120 to $330 a night, according to CoStar. Destination Vancouver said the average daily rate for May 3 to 9 in downtown was $433.24.

When it comes to Cup game days, Forbes reported a 290 per cent price increase in Vancouver from the same dates last year: $315 to $1,229 a night. It’s the highest average rate of any of the 16 host cities. Houston, Tex., by comparison, was the cheapest, at $282.