The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought an extra boost to the already busy summer season, as Santa Barbara and the surrounding region saw a surge of spending at local hotels and businesses to the tune of $4.9 million in sales for June 2026, resulting in an estimated $443,000 in tax revenue for the South Coast, according to the end-of-fiscal-year report released by Visit Santa Barbara.
While the month of June is consistently among the busiest times of the year for the tourism industry, June 2026 marked one of the highest-performing months in more than a decade, with occupancy up 9 percent compared to the last year. The daily rate per room also increased 6 percent from last June to an average of $394.
Visit Santa Barbara President and CEO Kathy Janega-Dykes attributes the economic bump, in part, to the World Cup. The organization worked closely with local governments to bring two international team base camps to the region, with Austria staying in Goleta and Qatar setting up its training facility and lodging in Montecito.
The two teams and their associated staff, family, and fans accounted for more than 5,000 room nights across four hotels, and additional tournament-related visits added to a “standout” June, Janega-Dykes said.
“June reflected a combination of healthy seasonal demand and visitation associated with the FIFA World Cup,” Janega-Dykes said. “We were proud to welcome both teams to the South Coast.”
The Santa Barbara Airport also reported a boost in travel during the early summer, resulting in a nearly 10 percent year-over-year increase in passenger volume, according to the end-of-year report.
During the first few weeks of the World Cup tournament, local businesses were packed with soccer fans watching games and spending money on food, beverages, and more. Hotels were also filled with typical summertime stays and World Cup visitors following their teams for matches hosted in Southern California.
The City of Santa Barbara reported $4 million in Transient Occupancy Taxes for the month of June, finishing the 2025-26 fiscal year with $38.2 million in total taxes from hotels and short-term rentals. This is nearly 9 percent higher than the previous fiscal year, and more than $2.7 million higher than originally projected in the city budget.
“Beyond supporting jobs and driving business for restaurants, wineries, retailers, attractions and transportation providers, the tax revenue collected from overnight visitation helps fund important city services and community amenities that South Coast residents rely on,” Janega-Dykes said. “Visit Santa Barbara remains focused on attracting overnight visitors who create measurable value for our residents, businesses and community.”
The data referenced by Visit Santa Barbara’s report was provided by hospitality analytics company STR, using hotels across Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito, Summerland and unincorporated Santa Barbara County.
