Philadelphia Lands #10 Placement Out of All U.S. Cities For Visitation By U.K. Travelers

US Department of Commerce Reports Philadelphia’s Rise in “Top Cities for U.K. Visitors from 2000-2008”

 PHILADELPHIA…December 1, 2009…The United States Department of Commerce Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) announced Philadelphia entered the top ten cities visited by U.K. visitors in 2008 last month at World Travel Market, the largest travel tradeshow in the U.K.  The new entry - at number 10 - is considered a remarkable achievement when compared to the 2000 figures where Philadelphia was not even ranked.  

The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB) drives the consumer and trade marketing and sales efforts in the U.K. and is responsible, on behalf of the Philadelphia region, to promote visitation from international markets both to tour operators and wholesalers in the trade community and directly to consumers.

“The UK is our biggest international market and this welcoming news is a testament to the activities and investment we have carried out in the U.K.  We have proactively targeted U.K. holidaymakers through promotional activity to help raise awareness of the city and its attractions.  We have also collaborated with key U.K. tour operators on joint marketing efforts to promote Philadelphia as a destination,” said Fritz Smith, vice president of tourism for the PCVB.  

In the present economic climate, the current exchange rates provide great value for U.K. visitors and make Philadelphia a great short-break destination.  The PCVB will continue to promote shopping breaks through its www.taxfreephilly.com site, launched in 2008, to provide visitors with great value travel packages and promotions such as the one currently running, in which visitors to the site can enter-to-win a $500 (U.S.) shopping spree at Macy’s in Philadelphia.

The OTTI results also provided positive news for Pennsylvania, which jumped four positions from number 11 in 2000, to number seven in 2008 of top states visited by U.K. visitors.


About Office of Travel and Tourism Industries
OTTI, http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/ which is housed in the International Trade Administration, Manufacturing and Service Bureau, Services Division, is charged on a federal level to expand travel and tourism business opportunities for employment and economic growth. OTTI’s responsibility to perform critical tourism functions such as collecting and publishing comprehensive international travel and tourism statistics and other marketing information.

About the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB), www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel, a private non-profit membership corporation, is the official Tourism Promotion Agency for the City of Philadelphia, 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.