Vancouver works to avoid post-World Cup tourism lull

As the FIFA World Cup banners disappear from Vancouver and barriers are removed from BC Place, city officials are strategizing to avoid what they call "the great sigh" – a potential lull in tourism following a major international event. Royce Chwin, CEO of Destination Vancouver, cited the quiet year that followed the city's 2010 Olympic Games as a cautionary tale.

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the great sigh

To counteract this, Vancouver has been planning for years, booking conferences and cultural events that commenced the day after the final World Cup match on July 7. Vancouver was one of 16 host cities across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Chwin believes the city "presented incredibly well" during the tournament, offering a strong fan experience and a positive global image.

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presented incredibly well

Businesses catering to soccer fans, such as sports bars, reported an uptick in sales. However, Chwin acknowledged that other sectors may have suffered, stating, "We had some successes and unfortunately, we had some misses." The full economic impact, both positive and negative, across the region is still under assessment.

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We had some successes and unfortunately, we had some misses.

Chwin noted the unprecedented nature of this multi-country World Cup, which he believes dispersed audiences and influenced hotel rates. Downtown Vancouver hotels saw a 75 percent occupancy rate in June, a decrease from the 91 percent in June 2025, a trend mirrored in other host cities. Despite this, transit and airport authorities reported significant increases in passenger volume during the tournament period, with the Vancouver Airport Authority handling approximately 2.8 million passengers between June 8 and July 10.

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People are spread out all over the place, and so you’ve really dispersed your audiences.