International Tourists

Philadelphia’s final World Cup game is sending a wave of international visitors home, but the city has already seen a striking surge in soccer travel from across the globe. The biggest jump came from Ecuador, where flight bookings to Philadelphia rose 622% year over year, driven by the city’s World Cup stage and a fan base eager to see its team in person. That surge is only part of a wider travel story. Based on flight data shared by Sojern, the hospitality marketing platform, Philadelphia has also drawn more travelers from Curaçao, Croatia, Hungary, France, and the Dominican Republic, while total international arrivals this summer still skew heavily toward Canada, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Ecuadorians Turned Philadelphia Into a Must-Visit Stop Ecuador’s strong showing in the city was tied to its first group match in Philadelphia, which helped turn the trip into a major event for fans. Francisca Castellanos traveled to meet family in Quito before continuing on to Philadelphia, while other supporters gathered at the Rocky steps to sing, dance, and follow every twist of the tournament. For many Ecuadorians, the logistics made the trip easier than previous World Cups. Travelers also pointed to language access, the presence of large Ecuadorian communities in the United States, and the fact that flights to the U.S. are more practical than trips to Europe or Qatar. Where The Biggest Travel Jumps Came From Country Or Territory Change In Flights To Philadelphia Notable Context Ecuador Up 622% Philadelphia hosted Ecuador’s first group match Curaçao Up almost 240% Smallest nation ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Sint Maarten Up 193% Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Aruba Up 117% Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Croatia Up almost 100% Played and beat Ghana in Philadelphia Hungary Up almost 200% Neighboring European country with a sharp rise in summer flights Dominican Republic Up 34% Philly’s Dominican community continues to grow France Up 33% French fans and travelers were drawn by the city and team matches Fans Came For Soccer, But Stayed For Philadelphia Some visitors said the city’s hospitality mattered as much as the matches. Fraser McNaughton, visiting from Scotland, said Philadelphians were friendly everywhere he went, while Michelle Thomson said people went out of their way to say hello and welcome them to the city. French traveler Elias Pierson also said the city’s architecture, French cuisine, and the presence of two favorite teams, France and Côte d’Ivoire, made the trip an easy choice. He added that a Philadelphian helped his family navigate the train station and pointed them toward French restaurants and landmarks such as City Hall and Old City. Philadelphia’s six World Cup matches brought tourists from Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Curaçao, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Haiti, and Iraq, showing how the tournament helped turn the city into an international stop. Ahmadou Dia, a Côte d’Ivoire-born Philadelphian, said the event brought people together in a way that crossed borders, backgrounds, and color. Read more at: www.inquirer.com

World Cup Fans Are Flocking to Philadelphia, and Ecuadorians Lead the Rush