Football supporters heading to the next three World Cup tournaments have been warned to brace themselves for big hotel price hikes and expensive rooms.

The warning came after it was revealed that last year average prices in the 2010 host nation South Africa leapt 21% to £118, with Cape Town, registering a 28% increase to £122.

The latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index also showed that there could be grim news for fans travelling to the countries staging the next three tournaments Brazil, Russia and Qatar.

Prices in Brazil – host nation in 2014 – surged 24% last year to £129 with rises in Sao Paulo of 41% - the biggest percentage leap of all major world cities - and Rio De Janeiro by 28% as the economy boomed and the local currency soared.

The HPI identified Russia, which stages the World Cup in 2018, as the most expensive country in the world for UK travellers with typical rooms at £132 although Moscow rates hit £149. Doha, the capital of 2022 venue Qatar, was the third most expensive city in the world with average rates at £169 a night.

Alison Couper, Global Communications Director of Hotels.com, said: “The data from South Africa last year clearly shows the extent of the World Cup effect facing supporters when it comes to booking hotel accommodation.

“Heavy demand for rooms pushes up rates especially where the supply of good accommodation is limited. There is every indication that Brazil, where prices are already rocketing because of the country’s booming economy and growing popularity, will follow the same pattern.

“FIFA also did football fans few favours by picking Russia and Qatar for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. These destinations are already two of the most expensive in the world for hotels and staging the World Cup there is only likely to make them even more pricey.”

Sport Tourism - a booming industry
Sport Tourism is travel industry’s fastest growing sector, and contributed an astonishing 14 percent of overall travel and tourism receipts in 2010, according to WSDE Sport Tourism Expo, the only global exhibition and business forum dedicated to showcasing the full spectrum of Sport Tourism related products and services.

At a time when some traditional tourism trends are in decline, Sport Tourism continues to flourish and is set to grow exponentially in the next decade.

WSDE Sport Tourism Expo, the only global exhibition and business forum dedicated to showcasing the full spectrum of Sport Tourism related products and services.

At a time when some traditional tourism trends are in decline, Sport Tourism continues to flourish and is set to grow exponentially in the next decade.

Now in its second year, WDSE Sport Tourism Expo will take place in Bangkok, Thailand - Asia’s Sport Tourism Gateway - from 27-29 September 2011. FInd out about Bangkok at www.bangkok.mobi

A mobile World Cup
As the eyes of the World turn to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, mobile marketers will be looking to sites of host cities, including Rio de Janeiro (rio.mobi), Brasilia (brasilia.mobi), Belo Horizonte (belohorizonte.mobi), Sao Paulo (saopaulo.mobi), Manaus (manaus.city.mobi), Cuiaba (cuiaba.city.mobi), Curitiba (curitiba.city.mobi), Natal (natal.city.mobi), Porto Alegre (portoalegre.mobi), Fortaleza (fortaleza.mobi), Curitiba (curitiba.city.mobi), Recife (recife.mobi) and Salvador (salvador.mobi) to promote their services.

To find out more visit www.sporttourismexpo.com