Data Story - Final Countdown to the World Cup (Lighthouse x Expedia)

With just weeks until kickoff, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is close enough for clear demand patterns to emerge. In this special Lighthouse x Expedia collaboration episode of The Spotlight Podcast, Daniel Foreman and Blake Reiter are joined by Bianca Navarro and Alex Fromson from Expedia Group for a market-by-market breakdown of the tournament’s hotel demand story.Using Lighthouse and Expedia data, the conversation explores where hotel inventory is tightening, where pricing is accelerating and where international demand is reshaping booking patterns across all 16 host cities. The team examines why Houston has become one of the fastest-growing ADR markets, why Toronto is attracting long-stay travelers and how cities like Kansas City and Miami are benefiting from superstar-driven demand.The episode also looks at the conversion strategies driving bookings ahead of the tournament, including packages, loyalty rates, length-of-stay incentives and mobile offers.Explore more of Lighthouse’s travel & hospitality research: mylh.co/spotlightinsights