District leadership gathered critical intel on pricing strategy,booking trends,and visitor demand — and is calling on Houston’s hospitality community to compete collectively for World Cup business.

HOUSTON,TX— The Southwest Management District announced today that board member Dawn Lin and district staff attended theHouston Hotel Playbook:World Cup Hosting and Insightsevent on behalf of hotel businesses within the district.The event brought together lead marketers,Expedia executives,and City of Houston officials to share data,strategy,and resources ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup — one of the largest sporting events ever to come to Houston.

With seven World Cup matches scheduled at NRG Stadium between June 14 and July 4,2026,and more than 500,000 visitors projected to descend on the city,the Southwest Management District is actively working to ensure that local hotel businesses are informed,prepared,and positioned to capture their share of this historic economic opportunity.

Key Findings from the Houston Hotel Playbook

Among the most critical takeaways shared at the event:

• Houston has sufficient hotel inventory to serve World Cup visitors — media narratives suggesting otherwise are inaccurate.The real challenge is competitiveness,not capacity.
• With over 11 U.S.host cities,fans have choices.Overpriced rates and inflexible cancellation policies are actively deterring tourists from selecting Houston.
• The average Houston hotel rate is currently $327/night,but the rate that is actually converting bookings is $249/night.
• Per Expedia,70%of World Cup hotel bookings are still yet to come.The demand wave is real — and it is approaching.
• 77%of the 28%of tickets already distributed have gone to out-of-state buyers,confirming that the majority of attendees will need accommodation.
• Media and broadcast credentials will be issued between March and April,triggering a new surge of bookings.Knockout round assignments will drive further demand.
• Tourist misinformation — including!1 claims about visa fees and social media history requirements — is suppressing international travel intent and must be actively countered.
• 76%of Houston hotels are bookable today,meaning the window to capture early planners is open right now.

A Call to Collective Action

The Southwest Management District is calling on all hotel businesses within the district to review their World Cup pricing and cancellation strategies immediately,ensure their properties are listed through the Expedia distribution network,and invest in staff training through available city resources.

The district emphasizes that Houston’s success during the World Cup depends on a unified,city-wide approach.Hotels that adopt flexible policies and competitive rates will not only benefit individually — they will strengthen Houston’s standing as the destination of choice among all 11 U.S.host cities.

Hotel businesses are encouraged to take the following steps today:

• Review the full Houston Hotel Playbook resources atvisithouston.com/WC-Hotel-Playbook
• Join the Expedia distribution list:Register here
• Access World Cup hospitality training athoustonfirstinsider.com

About the Southwest Management District

The Southwest Management District is a special-purpose local government created by the Texas Legislature at the request of local property owners.Funded by commercial property assessments,the district reinvests those dollars directly into the community — supporting public safety,economic development,beautification,infrastructure improvements,and long-term planning.