Team Ivory Coast is staying in Wilmington for the World Cup and held a friendly match in Delco on Monday, bringing business to local communities.
Hotel Du Pont is hosting the Ivory Coast national team, while tourism officials hope domestic travelers help fill a gap in expected international visitors. With just two days before World Cup begins, the soccer action is already bringing fans and business to the Philly region.
NBC10’s Tim Furlong has the story. Wilmington rolled out the welcome mat for the Ivory Coast national soccer team as players arrived for their stay ahead Fans from Ivory Coast gathered in Wilmington to greet the team with a celebration as players checked into Hotel Du Pont, which will serve as their home for the next few weeks. The hotel has made special accommodations to help the West African team feel comfortable during its stay.
In addition to providing luxury accommodations, staff worked to ensure players have access to familiar foods and dining options.
“They do have their own chef that was a part of that process and was part of writing the menus and understanding what kinds of seasoning they like and what they don't like or unique ways of serving different items,” Jeremy Costa of Hotel Du Pont said. Team Ivory Coast also held a friendly match at Subaru Park in Chester on Monday, and has several matches slated for Lincoln Financial Field during the international tournament.
While hosting a World Cup team is a boost for Hotel Du Pont, not every hotel in Wilmington is seeing the tourism impact that had been anticipated.
“I don't think we are probably going to see the international traveler base that we were expecting, but I do anticipate a pickup in the domestic,” Jennifer Boes of the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau said. Tourism officials say several factors outside the control of Philadelphia- and Wilmington-area organizers have affected international travel expectations tied to the tournament.
Still, they hope lower ticket prices for some matches could encourage more American soccer fans to make last-minute plans to attend games and stay in Philadelphia and Wilmington.
“We are in the midst of what one third of the U.S. population can get to us by driving very easily or take Amtrak, and so I think they can make a last-minute decision, and that's what we are hoping for,” Boes said. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.
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