Your Guide to Measuring and Maximizing Visitor Impact Around Major Events

The World Cup is coming, and with it will be a wave of international and domestic visitors ready to cheer, explore and spend - and a once-in-a-generation opportunity for destinations to attract new visitors and measure their impact across their communities. 

Use the following guidelines to help you effectively measure what's working and make adjustments when it's not. 

Get Ready for Kickoff

Activate a Smart Ad Strategy

Use Datafy’s tech to reach high-intent soccer fans based on their real-life behaviors. Tap into our pre-built World Cup audiences made up of travelers who have shown interest in both soccer and travel. (Think: people who have attended international and MLS soccer matches in the past.)

Know What’s Working With Attribution Tracking

Add the Datafy attribution pixel across your World Cup campaigns - our’s or anyone else’s - to measure lift and see which channels are driving visitation 

Track Future Bookings

Use Datafy Lodging, in partnership with Key Data, to keep an geye on confirmed reservations for an early read on event-related demand. 

Understand Engagement Beyond the Stadium

Connect the Dots in Your Community

Fans may come for the game, but they’ll eat, stay and play far beyond it. We’ll show you how stadium attendance connects to activity at hotels, restaurants, attractions and more. 

Follow the Spend

Pair visitation data with your Advance Spending Dashboard to see where visitors are putting their dollars - and where opportunity remains. (Pro tip: Compare spending during the tournament to the same time last year to measure real economic lift.) 

Measure Impact (and Momentum) 

Quantify Campaign Results

See how your World Cup campaigns moved the needle: incremental visitation, spend, length of stay, and the sectors that benefit most. 

Apply Insights for the Future

Zero in on the audiences and markets that delivered the biggest impact, and use those audiences to refind future campaigns. 

Re-Engage and Expand

Stay in front of visitors who came for the tournament and invite them back. Consider geo-conquesting to reach fans in hotel host destinations and inspire future travel to your destination.

Track Return Visits

Prove long-term economic impact by keeping tabs on repeat visitation over the next two years. 

Not a Host City? You’ve Still Got Options.

• Advertise in Host Cities and Nearby Markets: Reach travelers adding extra stops to their itineraries (or just dreaming up their next trip) by targeting key feeder markets during the games. 
• Show Off Your Strengths: Not every visitor is there for soccer. Lean into what makes your destination stand out: outdoor adventure, culinary experiences, and more. 
• Measure and Adapt: Track how awareness and visitation shift during the event window and adjust your messaging as you go. 

Why It Matters Beyond the World Cup

The World Cup may be the biggest event on the horizon, but the same data-driven approach helps destinations understand and maximize the impact of any large gathering, festivals, sports tournaments, conventions, concerts, and seasonal travel spikes. Big events become smarter when you know how visitors move, spend, and return.

Ready to build a successful campaign strategy for your city's next big event? Reach out today to get started.