New Castle County is trying to become more of a contender in sports-related tourism.
On Wednesday, $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were ceremonially invested in the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau to provide support to sporting event organizers and the families who attend such events.
(Speaking via video: New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jen Boase, Delaware Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Jessica Welch, and GWCVB Board Chair Bill Sullivan)
“Many Delaware parents travel outside of Delaware for soccer, lacrosse, softball, baseball, swimming, and track and field. They spend weekends and weeks at tournaments and other locations. This is an economic loss for the state,” New Castle County Mayor Matt Meyer said after presenting the check at the GWCVB board meeting. “We strive to make this state of Delaware a hub for sports tourism.”
Jen Bose, executive director of the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the marketing program will include special video presentations highlighting Delaware's existing facilities and opportunities. “We'll also show you all the great things people can do when they're not at the stadium: eating out, visiting attractions, going to the riverbank, all those things.”
The Sports Event Tourism Association's State of the Industry Report estimates the total economic impact of sports tourism in the United States in 2021 to be $91.8 billion. Delaware Tourism Director Jessica Welch said a comprehensive study is underway to measure the economic activity that sports generate. The First State's tourism industry could be worth as much as $20 million a year in the past few years.
The DTO has established a Sports Tourism Capital Investment Fund to consider sports-related grant applications in 2023.
Bill Sullivan, president of the GWCVB board, which operates the University of Delaware Courtyard Newark, said the tournaments also serve as a marketing tool for the university.
“These students come here to compete at the high school level, so they get to see the state of Delaware and the great things we have to offer,” Sullivan said.
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