General Discussion

Hotel industry and tourism groups in Toronto are optimistic that FIFA World Cup matches will bring many people to the city and boost the local economy despite a lack of surge in hotel bookings and high ticket prices.

President and CEO of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association Sara Anghel said the soccer tournament will definitely have a positive economic impact, even after FIFA cancelled thousands of hotel room bookings in Toronto, Vancouver and other host cities.

"We've never had the opportunity to host something of this magnitude," she said in an interview. "It's basically six Super Bowls in the city over the span of less than a month."

Destination Toronto's vice-president of destination development Kelly Jackson said hotels are tracking to see an occupancy rate of around 80 per cent in June and July, which is similar to those months in previous years.