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PHILADELPHIA - July 25, 2006 -- As reported to the media and members
of the PCVB today, in fiscal year 2006, the Philadelphia Convention &
Visitors Bureau (PCVB) booked more than $1 billion in future conventions
for a total of 605,000 total hotel room nights. At the event, the PCVB
also recapped its achievements for 2005 in the international, group travel,
sports and multicultural markets; outlined its business plan for the next
18 months; and launched a new Web site - www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel, and
new joint marketing plan for the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
The sales staff of the group travel market increased their hotel room night bookings by 30 percent in 2005. The international tourism department also saw an increase with final numbers reaching $234 million in direct economic impact for the year-end total. The Multicultural Affairs Congress (MAC) and the Philadelphia Sports Congress, both divisions of the PCVB, had positive years that brought economic success as well a diversification of new customer channels. Philadelphia was named a community partner by the United States Olympic Committee, while MAC expanded into the Asian market with new customers like the Organization of Chinese Americans. "The PCVB is an economic engine for Philadelphia; we bring in hundreds of thousands of people annually who spend money while experiencing all the city and region have to offer," said Tom Muldoon, president, PCVB. "Every division of the PCVB has increased business and revenue since our last report. Our hard-working and experienced staff, and our dedicated members and board members, have all played an important part in the city's and PCVB's achievements." In order to continue to book an increased level of business, the PCVB and the Pennsylvania Convention Center launched a new marketing and sales campaign that focuses on Philadelphia as a destination. "Philadelphia, Where You're at Liberty to Meet" is the tagline for the new partnership campaign and was presented for the first time at the member event. All collateral, tradeshow booths, advertisements, sales kits, and more now contain the new campaign, which features a collage of Philadelphia's assets set within the Liberty Bell. International superstar and Philadelphia native Patti LaBelle is featured in one of the advertisements. The PCVB also relaunched a new and improved Web site, www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel, during the annual event. The new site features a complete redesign and includes fresh content aimed to enable users to explore Philadelphia, making it easier to plan meetings, conventions, international leisure vacations, and group travel to the region. The domain name, .travel, is the official domain reserved exclusively for organizations in the travel industry. The PCVB is the first CVB to launch and promote a Web site using the new .travel domain. "In the year ahead, the PCVB and its Board of Directors will continue
to focus with our regional partners to tell the world what a 'hot city'
Philadelphia has become. This complements our efforts of selling and promoting
the current and expanding Pennsylvania Convention Center," said Nicholas
DeBenedictis, chairman, PCVB. "As a businessman, I applaud the work of
the PCVB and its accomplishment in generating one billion dollars in economic
impact. This is especially impressive when you remember that the PCVB is
a non-profit, working within a budget that delivers a 100 percent return
on investment. It's clear how much the PCVB affects the entire regional
hospitality industry and its bottom line."
About the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau Who we are: The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB), a private non-profit membership corporation, is the official Tourism Promotion Agency for the City of Philadelphia, and the primary sales and marketing agency for the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The PCVB competes with its counterparts worldwide for convention and tourism business. The organization has departments dedicated to the multicultural, sports, and life sciences markets. Our mission: To generate economic impact and job growth by increasing the region's hotel occupancy and revenues, while concurrently affecting other diverse segments of the hospitality industry. To do whatever it takes to attract ethnically diverse regional, national and international convention and tourism customers through creative sales, marketing and communications efforts. To deliver exceptional service and experiences for all, ensuring repeat business across market segments. To increase the quality of life for all our citizens, stakeholders, and visitors by supporting the region's vibrant arts and entertainment, historic, cultural, retail, restaurant, and sports venues. |
Contact:
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
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