It’s official: I’m hooked. As it has for many sports fans in the U.S., this year’s World Cup has become must-see viewing for me. When you wake up in the morning and your day is structured around Argentina versus Cape Verde, you know you have World Cup fever.
After concerns that the tournament might disappoint from an economic perspective, there is little doubt that the competition itself so far has been a success, especially for travel.
Events like the World Cup and the Olympics deliver their greatest tourism benefits long after the final match. These globally televised spectacles do not just entertain — they turn viewers into future visitors. We won’t know how many travelers decide to visit Norway or Scotland because of this year’s tournament until well after it ends, but Expedia bookings and Google searches for tournament countries are already surging. According to an article in Travel Weekly, Expedia saw a 750% increase in searches for lodging in Cape Verde alone. (Note: Travel Weekly has the same parent company as TravelAge West.)
Beyond potential tourism bookings, the World Cup is a reminder that the world is a welcoming place, full of friendly people eager to connect. Despite what we have heard for years now — about countries that send their criminals here to take advantage of our good nature — fans visiting our host cities and the images on our screens tell a different story. These “foreigners” are affable, fun-loving travelers who are curious about our way of life and who simply want to have a great vacation.
Global sporting events do not just inspire trips, they help replace stereotypes with real human connection. The World Cup shows us that the citizens of the world have far more in common than we are often led to believe, and this mindset will benefit the travel industry — and society in general — far beyond the final whistle.
