World Soccer Cup Gives Germany´s Hotel Industry Big Boost

The 18th World Soccer Cup kicked off in Munich on June 9, prompting six weeks of media frenzy heightened by the 15,000 journalists in attendance.

Three million spectators will fill the twelve stadiums of the competition, a figure that is likely to double when including the total number of tourists arriving in Germany to participate directly or indirectly in this event.

The German hotel industry has been closely following the performances recorded by the host cities and countries of equivalent major sporting events.

According to the econometric projections of MKG Consulting, the World Soccer Cup is set to generate growth in RevPAR of 4 to 6 points in 2006, a lower figure than in France 1998.

German hoteliers are being more cautious. With just twenty million international arrivals, Germany is behind its closest European neighbors –France, Italy and Spain.

Tourist authorities and the Organizing Committee have cooperated closely to take advantage of this opportunity to give a significant boost to this destination and its hotel activity.

Until recently, being a hotelier in Germany was no easy task, with some of the lowest average daily rates in Europe and FIFA, organizer of the Cup, has imposed a binding commitment to reasonable rates in the host countries.

To ensure that this commitment is respected, the Federation has put in place the World Cup Accommodation Services (WCAS), a joint venture to organize accommodation and welcome media, sponsors, officials, groups and individuals, with the close participation of the leading hotel groups and trade unions.