Overview
- A Deloitte analysis commissioned by Airbnb projects a 70,000‑night lodging gap during the tournament’s busiest stretch, warning of hotel price spikes of about 200% and an estimated $45 million in lost direct spending.
- Airbnb is pressing for a temporary event exemption and reduced fees to let more residents host during the 2026 World Cup, arguing current rules and costs deter short‑term supply.
- Premier David Eby rejected exemptions, saying the province cannot displace workers and residents, and the housing minister noted short‑term rental rules still allow principal‑residence hosting.
- The province cites 23,000 active registered short‑term listings, a pipeline of about 4,200 additional hotel rooms, roughly 30,000 hotel rooms in Vancouver and nearby areas by 2026, and plans for extra ferry sailings to help move visitors.
- Vancouver has about 13,000 hotel rooms across 78 hotels and lost roughly 550 rooms between 2020 and 2022, a constraint experts say reflects broader visitor‑economy planning challenges beyond the World Cup.