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May 12 2009

GPTMC Releases Report To The Tourism And Hospitality Industry

Tourism 2009 Highlights 2008 Numbers And Philadelphia Hospitality Outlook

Today the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) released its Tourism 2009 Report to the Region. The 36-page publication provides a comprehensive snapshot of the region’s leisure tourism industry and takes a look at opportunities and challenges the region faces as a result of the current economy. The annual report also includes visitor volume numbers for 2008 and addresses how tourism impacted the local and regional economy last year. Distribution of the report, themed “The Big Picture” and available for free on gophila.com/tourismreport, coincides with National Tourism and Travel Week, taking place May 9-17, 2009.

Here’s a look at some of the important statistics found in this year’s report:

2008 Big Tourism Numbers:

  • Greater Philadelphia welcomed 29.04 million domestic visitors in 2008. This represents a 35% increase from the 21.7 million visitors in 1997.
  • Domestic visitation (29.04 million) to Greater Philadelphia decreased by a modest 0.7% (in line with national trends) from 2007 when the King Tut exhibition at The Franklin Institute Science Museum drew more than one million visitors.
  • Overnight leisure visitation to the region has increased 59% since 1997, rising from 6.5 million visitors to 10.4 million—and these travelers come from all 50 states.
  • In 2008, the Greater Philadelphia tourism industry accounted for $9.32 billion in total economic impact, a 0.3% increase from 2007.
  • The tourism industry accounted for $1.35 billion in federal, state and local taxes.
  • Individual leisure hotel rooms nights in Center City have almost tripled since GPTMC began advertising, rising from 254,000 in 1997 to 705,000 in 2008.

2008 Big Marketing Numbers:

  • Advertising created 383,022,684 impressions via broadcast and cable TV, radio, print, Internet and outdoor advertising.
  • gophila.com and uwishunu.com received 5,963,312 visits in 2008, reflecting a 3.4% increase in visitation since 2007.
  • The media relations team generated 5,017 stories resulting in 581,922,637 impressions.
  • People who are exposed to GPTMC’s marketing efforts in Philadelphia’s key markets are 2.5 times more likely to visit in the next year than those who are not.

Inside The Report:

  • Situation Analysis: A look at the strengths/opportunities and cautions/challenges facing the region’s hospitality industry in the year ahead
  • Marketing Plan: A breakdown of 13 strategies that guide the marketing of the five-county Philadelphia region and GPTMC’s campaigns
  • Marketing A More Fun Philadelphia: A brief look at eight of GPTMC’s marketing efforts, along with the brand new game-changing campaign debuting on May 12
  • Advertising, Communications, gophila.com: A big picture view of how all of GPTMC’s departments are adapting to the ever-changing media world and communicating the new Philadelphia story
  • Hotel Efforts: A recap of the city-wide effort to pass a 1.2% increase to the hotel tax and a review of 2008 hotel occupancy in the city and region
  • Research: Visitor volume, economic impact and other statistics from interviews and surveys conducted throughout the year

To get a free copy of the report:

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit gophila.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to Hear Philly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):
  • Bookmark
  • E-mail
Tagged: Facts & Figures, GPTMC

Attached Media

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Philadelphia Skyline

A dramatic evening sky view of Philadelphia highlights the contrast of new and old living side by side. In the center of the shot stands the bronze statue of the city’s founder, William Penn, sitting on top of the 511-foot City Hall Tower with its lighted clock. And the newest...

Credit: Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

Tags: Skylines