Record Visitation To Philadelphia In 2012

PHILADELPHIA, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) released its 2013 annual report, which reveals that the region welcomed a record 38.8 million domestic visitors in 2012. Those visitors generate economic impact and taxes for the region and support residents' jobs. Titled The Evolution of a Destination & Its Marketing, the report also emphasizes the major changes in Philadelphia and in marketing since GPTMC began.

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"Philadelphia is a better, more complex destination appealing to more types of travelers and more trip types," said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of GPTMC. "Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all marketing. Today, we use customized campaigns and many platforms to communicate with travelers where they are and in the ways they want to be reached."

GPTMC released the 28-page report at its annual Hospitality Leaders Luncheon, held during National Travel & Tourism Week. The Evolution of a Destination & Its Marketing is downloadable at visitphilly.com/annualreport.

Visitation Numbers:

• 38.8 million domestic visitors came to Greater Philadelphia in 2012, an increase of 2.1% over 2011 when 38.0 million people visited.
• Since 1997, the year GPTMC began marketing, the Philadelphia region has seen:
  • 45% growth in total visitation, an increase of 12 million visitors.
  • 75% growth in overnight trips, more than twice as fast as day trips.
  • 80% growth in overnight leisure, the fastest of any visitor segment.

Impact of the Travel Economy:
In 2012, travel to Greater Philadelphia:

• Generated $27 million in economic impact every day—that's $9.75 billion for the year, an increase of 4.5% over 2011 when the economic impact was $9.34 billion for the year.
• Supported 88,761 jobs, with a $2.94 billion paycheck.
• Generated $622 million in state ($329 million) and local ($293 million) taxes. That saves regional households $410 a year.

Leisure Indicators:

• 29% of occupied Center City rooms were filled by individual leisure travelers, versus 14% in 1997 when GPTMC began advertising.
• Saturday has been the busiest night of the week for downtown hotels over the past decade with 85% occupancy in 2012.

In addition to visitation and economic impact numbers, the report highlights GPTMC's big stories and projects from 2012 and today. Just a few:

• Visitphilly.com is the most-visited destination website of the 10 biggest U.S. cities.
• Two US Airways magazine features—totaling 160 pages, plus a stunning cover—showed off the region to six million international travelers.
• People are raving about the city's vast and vibrant art scene, thanks in part to the citywide With Art Philadelphia^™ campaign.
• The Philadelphia Neighborhoods campaign spotlights 14 personality-packed areas that surround Center City. (Mayor Michael Nutter kicked off National Travel & Tourism Week with a trolley tour of three of these neighborhoods on May 6, 2013.)
• Running throughout the report is a timeline of major milestones illustrates the evolution of Philadelphia as a destination.

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 visitphilly.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 HearPhilly, 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.

SOURCE Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation