Host cities, hotels, tourism boards, and more had high hopes for the World Cup's impact on tourism. While some locations "struck gold," others "fizzled," failing to meet expectations. The event's economic ripple effect varied significantly across different regions.

Cities like Doha, Qatar, the primary host, saw substantial international visitor numbers, contributing to a surge in hotel bookings and local spending. However, the massive infrastructure investment and the initial projections for tourist influx sometimes outpaced the actual on-the-ground reality for certain businesses.

Conversely, some cities that hosted matches experienced less of a direct tourism boom than anticipated. Factors such as the cost of travel, visa complexities, and the specific timing of matches may have influenced attendance and spending patterns. The $220 billion invested by Qatar in preparation for the tournament highlights the scale of ambition, but the tangible tourism benefits were not universally distributed.

The "winners" likely included businesses and regions that successfully leveraged the global attention to attract a steady stream of fans and media. The "losers" might be those who invested heavily in anticipating a larger tourist wave that did not fully materialize, leading to underutilized capacity. Ultimately, the World Cup's tourism legacy is a mixed bag, with specific cities and businesses experiencing vastly different outcomes.