With a major global football tournament approaching in North America, Expedia Group has announced a strategic partnership with PredictHQ, a specialist in event data and demand forecasting. According to the press release published on March 2, 2026, total traveler spending in the host cities is expected to exceed $8.1 billion between June and August 2026. This is a strong signal for tourism professionals, as event data is becoming increasingly important as an operational lever.
Summary
Direct integration into Partner Central
Expedia Group becomes the first OTA partner tightly integrated with PredictHQ. Specifically, verified event signals and real-world occupancy forecasts are now fed directly into Partner Central, the platform used by hotel partners to manage their rates, inventory, and performance.
PredictHQ's occupancy data is freely accessible to accommodation partners via the Rev+ tool integrated into Partner Central. The stated objective is clear: to allow hoteliers to identify peak demand related to sporting events earlier and adjust their business strategy accordingly.
$8.1 billion expected over three months
According to forecasts published in February 2026 by PredictHQ, total spending on accommodation, ground transportation and food services in North American host cities is expected to exceed $8.1 billion between June and August 2026. This represents almost $750 million more than the same period the previous year.
Spending on accommodation is expected to nearly double, rising from $2.6 billion to $4.8 billion year-over-year. This increase is driven by international fans booking stays that extend beyond just match days.
Dramatic increases in several cities
Some destinations are expected to see particularly strong growth. Arlington, Texas, is projected to see over $562 million in total spending, a 135% year-over-year increase. Foxborough, Massachusetts, is expected to grow by 161%, Kansas City, Missouri, by 73.4%, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 19.9%, and Houston, Texas, by 18.3%.
For accommodation alone, the announced increases are even greater: +369% in Arlington, +310% in Foxborough and +159% in Santa Clara (California).
Four-figure international demand
Expedia Group's analysis also highlights spikes in international demand during game weeks. Searches and bookings from Japan to Dallas increase by 1,820% compared to a typical week, while those from the UK rise by 1,530%. Travel from Brazil to Philadelphia and from Germany to Houston also see four-figure growth. Demand from Australia to Seattle increases by 400%.
According to the specialized press, these trends confirm the intensification of international corridors during major sporting events, with direct effects on hotel occupancy and revenue.
An operational challenge for hoteliers
partnersExpedia Group, the benefit lies in the immediate activation of these signals. As Campbell Brown, CEO of PredictHQ, explains: “Demand doesn’t evolve linearly; it reacts to what’s happening in the world, every day.” The integration aims to transform these signals into concrete decisions: price adjustments, optimized visibility via TravelAds, and targeted source markets.
Susan Spinney, senior vice president of hotel partnerships at Expedia Group, emphasizes that the challenge is to link predictive intelligence to direct commercial action within Partner Central.
For tourism professionals, this partnership illustrates a structural shift: demand forecasting no longer relies solely on booking history, but on integrating contextual signals from the real world. In sports tourism, this ability to anticipate is becoming a key performance driver.
👉 Access all our tourism reports, statistics and analyses on Tourisme Stats.
➡️ Check out our full report on B2B Tourism to discover the key trends, figures and strategies for 2026.
👉 Stay informed about business tourism trends: subscribe to InfosTourisme Inside .
📘 Also check out our practical pages for tourism professionals .
📩 Send your press releases .
