Analysis:Pricey World Cup keeps fans away, hits US hotels, airlines

NEW YORK, June 11 : Hours before the World Cup kickoff, the boost to travel and tourism expected from this year’s biggest sporting event has yet to materialize.

For years, the tournament was expected to deliver a windfall for America's travel industry, now grappling with declining international visitors amid what rights groups describe as a climate of fear.

The swarms of fans hotels had counted on are yet to arrive, forcing many to cut rates. Flight bookings have slumped as ticket prices have skyrocketed. Expensive match tickets have further stymied demand, and industry analysts say excitement has been muted compared with past World Cups.

The weak start suggests the traditional World Cup travel playbook - typically dependent on international fans willing to travel long distances and spend heavily to follow their teams - is faltering. Instead, the costs, visa hurdles and the logistics of attending matches across 16 host cities in three countries have proved a deterrent.

U.S. travelers, in a country where soccer is less popular than in Europe, are not filling the gap.

It is "overall a disappointment. There's no other word that I can say," said Vijay Dandapani, CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City. The association has cut its forecast for hotel room revenue tied to the World Cup by 60 per cent to roughly $60 million, he said.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LAST MINUTE DEMAND YET TO MATERIALIZE

Flight bookings from Europe into most host cities for June and July are down 3.8 per cent on average year-over-year, according to Cirium, even after Europeans had already pulled back from travel to the U.S. last year. Bookings from Europe into New