Tourism

Demand for short-term rentals in Kansas City is so far strongest for properties closest to Arrowhead Stadium, where World Cup matches will be played, and for lower-priced listings.

Lawrence will serve as the base camp for Team Algeria during next month’s World Cup. With the Trump administration restricting travel for Algerians, and reports that Kansas City hotel bookings lag far behind tourism projections, organizers are planning for a variety of outcomes.

Nearly 90% of Kansas City hotels surveyed reported that bookings were running below projections — worse than any other host city, and with only weeks to go before the World Cup.

Hotel industry leaders worry that the World Cup's promised "hotel boom" is failing to materialize, while advocacy groups issued a travel advisory warning international visitors of likely civil rights violations by the Trump administration. But so far, Kansas City officials are sticking by their ambitious estimates.

From Cameron, Missouri to Lawrence, Kansas, small town officials say they offer a slice of the real America, cheaper accommodations and traditional 4th of July festivities.

Johnson County Commission Chair Mike Kelly joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss rising property taxes in his county, preparations for the 2026 World Cup, and the Chiefs' new headquarters and practice facility coming to Olathe.

If “hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup” were a sport in and of itself, these past few months have shown that perhaps Kansas City wants this more than other cities. Plus: Federal funding woes and other issues facing the tournament with 100 days to go.

After the Mexican military killed cartel leader El Mencho, chaos in Puerto Vallarta upended travel plans for Kansas City Star columnist Vahe Gregorian and his wife. Though shaken up by the resulting violence, the couple says they have not felt in immediate danger as they work to find a way back home.

Four economists say the state relied on exaggerated numbers to make the Kansas City Chiefs deal, the largest public subsidy of a stadium in American history, look better. State officials say football teams bring in real value as millions flock to the stadium projects.

The campaign is designed to welcome both domestic and international visitors hoping to travel to Kansas City to root for their teams from the stands. Columbia hopes its businesses will "adopt a team" and host watch parties during the summer event.

The American Heartland has experienced a boom in wineries over the last three decades. But with U.S. wine sales trending down since 2019, some producers are feeling the effects more than others.

Popcorn festivals and even "popcorn capitals of the world" dot the middle of the country. Yet this ubiquitous snack is grown on fewer than 1,000 farms in the U.S. today.