Visit Philadelphia and PHLCVB provide tourism industry update for 2023

Visit Philadelphia and Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau provide tourism industry update for 2023

PHILADELPHIA – Today, on National Plan for Vacation Day, VISIT PHILADELPHIA® and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) hosted the 2023 Philadelphia Tourism Outlook event at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The event provided an overview on the region’s hotel performance, took a look ahead at Philadelphia’s tourism forecast, launched – for the first time – a joint marketing campaign between Visit Philadelphia and the PHLCVB, and hosted a panel dedicated to building momentum for 2026 in Philadelphia.

Together, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, Angela Val, and president and CEO of the PHLCVB, Gregg Caren, delivered remarks showcasing how their organizations are united in progress for Philadelphia’s tourism industry recovery and growth.

“Philadelphia is a must-visit destination that brings visitors back again and again,” said Angela Val, President and CEO, Visit Philadelphia. “As we look ahead, we are excited to promote and position Philadelphia as a must-visit U.S. destination.”

“The active collaboration between our organizations, bolstered by our close partnerships with Philadelphia’s tourism community, will allow our destination to deliver not only on the promise of an extraordinary 2026, but the build up of all sectors between now and then,” said Gregg Caren, President and CEO, PHLCVB.

New joint marketing campaign:

Visit Philadelphia and the PHLCVB launched their first-ever joint destination marketing campaign, “Come for Philadelphia. Stay for Philly.” This fun, lighthearted campaign puts the city’s confidence and attitude at the forefront as it aims to drive visitation to the region across all travel segments — leisure, business and group (meetings and conventions) — in 2023 and in the lead up to 2026 when the city will host major activities around the 250th anniversary of the United States, the FIFA World Cup and the MLB All-Star Game.

For more information, please consult the full press release linked here.

Philly Rewards Launch:

To accompany Philadelphia’s new tourism campaign “Come for Philadelphia. Stay for Philly,” Visit Philadelphia is debuting a first-of-its kind destination rewards program called Philly Rewards. The program offers limited-edition merchandise and exclusive experiences designed to incentivize frequent trips to Philadelphia.

For more information, please consult the full press release linked here.

Hotel Performance and Tourism Forecast:

To help put 2022’s overall performance in context and to provide an industry forecast for 2023, Adam Sacks, President of Tourism Economics, explained that Center City Philadelphia’s hotel recovery continued in 2022. He noted that all hotel performance categories saw positive year-over-year improvements as the industry sought to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Looking ahead, Tourism Economics projects that both Center City Philadelphia and Philadelphia County are expected to surpass pre-pandemic hotel revenue in 2023. Center City hotel occupancy is also expected  to rise  towards pre-pandemic levels, reaching just 15% below 2019 performance by the end of 2023. Growth within the travel sector is expected even though some economic downturns are anticipated.

For more information, please consult the full press release linked here.

2026 Panel:

A panel discussion with leaders representing organizations that are already helping to shape the City’s 2026 plans offered a “sneak peek” at what’s underway for that momentous year. With FIFA naming Philadelphia as a host city for the World Cup, the city is primed once again to stand on a global stage. The business community with the tourism and hospitality sector is preparing to claim its spot as a premier global destination for 2026.

Panel participants were led in an engaging discussion by president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Chellie Cameron. Panelists included:

• Michael DelBene, President and CEO, Welcome America
• Danielle DiLeo Kim, President and CEO, Philadelphia250
• Maria Grasso, Senior Vice President, Convention Division, PHLCVB
• Meg Kane, Host City Executive Officer, Philadelphia Soccer 2026
• Angela Val, President and CEO, Visit Philadelphia

About the PHLCVB:

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) creates positive economic impact across the Philadelphia region, driving job growth and promoting the health and vibrancy of our hospitality industry by marketing the destination, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and attracting overnight visitors. The PHLCVB’s work engages our partners, the local Philadelphia community as well as culturally and ethnically diverse regional, national and international convention, sporting event and tourism customers. The PHLCVB is also the official tourism promotion agency for the city of Philadelphia globally and is responsible for growing the number of overseas leisure visitors who come to the region each year. To learn more, visit DiscoverPHL.com.

About VISIT PHILADELPHIA:

VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website, visitphilly.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the site an effective trip-planning tool. Visitors can also find loads of inspiration on Visit Philly’s social media channels.

Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos and high-definition B-roll of Greater Philadelphia, visit the Photos & Video section of visitphilly.com/mediacenter.