Sydney hotels are enjoying a spike in bookings this week with the commencement of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The opening match in Sydney, between Australia and Ireland, is expected to draw more than 80,000 spectators to Accor Stadium.
Incoming NSW tourism boss Stacey McBride said the game has created an uptick in hotel bookings around Western Sydney.
“We are seeing a high number of bookings for accommodation providers located in the vicinity of Olympic Park and hotel capacity right across Sydney is nearing 70%, reflecting a noticeable surge in demand,” she said.
Interest in this year’s Women’s World Cup is higher than ever with more than a million tickets sold for matches scheduled across Australia and New Zealand.
McBride said the increasing interest in women’s sport is “a win-win for everyone”.
“The soaring popularity of women’s sport, and the Matildas in particular, is undeniable and it’s fantastic to see,” she said.
“In addition to equalling the playing field in Australian sport, it means that first-class stadia in NSW and across Australia more often have the chance to host tens of thousands of fans from every corner of the globe to cheer on their teams – both in men’s and women’s sport.
“For accommodation providers this translates to higher occupancy rates, while the local hospitality industry also sees an increase in both local and international visitor spend.