NEW YORK — Hours before the World Cup’s first kick-off in the US, the boost to travel and tourism expected from this year’s biggest sporting event has yet to materialise.

For years, the tournament was expected to deliver a windfall for America’s travel industry, now grappling with declining international visitors amid what rights groups describe as a climate of fear. The swarms of fans, hotels had counted on have yet to arrive, forcing many to cut rates. Flight bookings have slumped as ticket prices have skyrocketed.

Expensive match tickets have further stymied demand, and industry analysts say excitement has been muted compared with past World Cups.

The weak start suggests the traditional World Cup travel playbook - typically dependent on international fans willing to travel long distances and spend heavily to follow their teams - is faltering. Instead, the costs, visa hurdles and the logistics of attending matches across 16 host cities in three countries have proved a deterrent.

US travellers, in a country where soccer is less popular than in Europe, are not filling the gap.

It is “overall a disappointment. There’s no other word that I can say,” said Vijay Dandapani, CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City.

The association has cut its forecast for hotel room revenue tied to the World Cup by 60 per cent to roughly US$60 million (RM244 million), he said. The International Federation of Association Football declined a request for comment.