PRESS BRIEFING MOVED TO TODAY AT 1: HANYC to Release Final Data on World Cup's Impact on NYC Hotels

NEW YORK, NY (07/22/2026) (readMedia)-- ***PRESS BRIEFING MOVED FROM THURSDAY TO TODAY AT 1 PM ***

TODAY AT 1 PM: the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) will hold a press briefing on its World Cup data and the surprising turnaround of the economic impact of the tournament on New York City's hotel industry.

An unexpected rush of visitors for the World Cup final brought the total in additional hotel revenue close to the $300 million projected–-but due to new tariffs and other headwinds, even that late surge is unlikely to bring the hotel industry's numbers back to pre-pandemic levels.

Vijay Dandapani, HANYC President and CEO will provide an analysis of the final numbers and discuss what the results mean for New York's tourism economy, hotel workforce, and future major events.

International visitors, who spend on average four-times more than domestic travelers, face significant barriers to entry, including travel bans, visa delays, immigration crackdowns, and other travel restrictions. Those policies have dampened demand from international travelers this year, who would otherwise be filling hotel rooms. The war with Iran further compounded the problem, triggering an additional 10% to 15% decline in hotel business. And now new tariffs with Canada threaten the industry further.

Overall, the hotel industry faces major headwinds from slowed revenue growth, persistent inflation, rising operating costs, and the prolonged tourism slowdown while struggling to recover from pandemic losses, which a recent report from the New York State Comptroller confirmed. Together, they threaten a cornerstone of New York City's economy that supports more than 40,000 hotel workers and 400,000 hospitality workers while generating billions in annual tax revenue that helps fund essential public services.