Philadelphia: At Your Service
PHILADELPHIA...March 2003...The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau's (PCVB) Convention Services Department provides award-winning, detail-oriented convention services from start to finish to help ensure a great convention experience in Philadelphia. Together with city agencies, the retail community, restaurants and related hospitality industries, the PCVB offers one of the most well-known and extensive welcome programs in the country, which is a big part of making any meeting or convention a success.
The Convention Services staff of the PCVB has been welcoming and moving delegates around the city for nearly half a century. With their guidance, thousands of meetings and conventions in Philadelphia have had flawless transportation service and effortless hospitality. "Philadelphia is well-known for its hospitality and transportation programs, and the city goes that extra mile to ensure that convention attendees enjoy their stay here and feel like VIPs," said Philomena Petro, director of convention services, PCVB. "Philadelphia's hotels, restaurants, transportation companies and attractions provide top-notch service."
From the moment delegates arrive in Philadelphia, they are greeted with welcome banners in all five terminals at the Philadelphia International Airport, and each meeting or convention has the opportunity to display customized "Welcome to Philadelphia" banners on light poles throughout the city. The banners are a terrific way to build interest and excitement about a convention among both delegates and Philadelphians.
At convention hotels, front-line personnel adorned with customized convention welcome buttons greet attendees, just one part of making the hotel experience a positive one for any group. The PCVB provides hotels with a three-page profile, so hotel staff is knowledgeable and in-tune to a group's needs and interests. Also a part of the welcome program, every delegate receives a coupon booklet with discounts at many of the city's stores, restaurants, hotels, entertainment and attractions.
The city's warm welcome continues at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where an on-site PCVB information and restaurant booth is staffed during show hours, providing guests with city information, brochures, restaurant menus and even the option to make on-the-spot restaurant reservations.
The department that raised the bar in the meetings industry provides consultation for meeting and convention planners every step of the way. They will estimate the number of routes and transportation costs based on past experience. They can send out leads to PCVB member transportation companies, helping to narrow the vendor list based on the transportation needs and budget of the planner. They can develop a welcoming program for any size group, from putting a group?s name up in lights on a building to organizing a private parade or fireworks display--making a big city have a warm, small-town feel.
When Philadelphia hosted the 2000 Republican National Convention, the PCVB was part of the transportation team responsible for facilitating the flow of Philadelphia?s vehicular and air traffic during the convention. The team coordinated the operation of 350 shuttle buses, which ran 18 hours a day for a five-day period. Those buses serviced 95 hotels and transported more than 20,000 guests each day. The transportation plan and execution was recognized for its efficiency and expediency. This also included the coordination of a tri-state-area welcome program and hotel orientation for 95 hotels.
Additional features of the PCVB welcome program, include convention-specific Web pages, event listings, promotional collateral and more! For more information about how Philadelphia can be at your service, check out www.pcvb.org or call the PCVB's Convention Services Department at 215/636-4402.
About the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Who we are: 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, 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.
