Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau Highlights the Billion Dollar Impact of Major Meetings & International Tourism

in Philadelphia at Business Report Meeting and Kicks off 75th Anniversary

Philadelphia, PA – April 15, 2016 – On Thursday, April 14, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) hosted a business meeting to release its 2015 annual report to more than 400 PHLCVB members, partners and stakeholders, and kick off the organization's 75th anniversary celebration. Led by President & CEO Julie Coker Graham, the organization highlighted its monumental 2015 including a record year of convention bookings which will generate more than $1.1 billion in economic impact for future years. The most recent overseas travel numbers were also touted, showing that Philadelphia welcomed 620,000 overseas visitors in 2014.

The PHLCVB has been in the business of bringing visitors to Philadelphia since January 1941 when the organization separated from the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and was founded as the Philadelphia Convention & Tourist Bureau. In that decade the PHLCVB hosted an average of 172 meetings per year, resulting in an average of 100,000 attendees and generating an annual average of nearly $7 million (approximately $85 million in today's dollars) in economic impact for the city.  That decade also saw Philadelphia hosting both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention in 1948.

In light of this esteemed history, the PHLCVB is marking the occasion with activities throughout the year which will culminate with the organization's largest event, its Annual Luncheon held every year on the day before Thanksgiving. Among other planned activities are public engagement and social media campaigns as well as a charity effort where every PHLCVB employee will participate in completing 75 acts of service for more than 35 organizations across the region. The PHLCVB also debuted a special, limited-edition 75th anniversary diamond 'PHL' pin.

To stay up to date on the PHLCVB's 75th Anniversary efforts, follow @discoverPHL and @meetPHL on Twitter using the #PHLCVB75 hashtag.

For photos from the event and a copy of the PHLCVB Annual Report, contact Khaila Burke-Green at Khaila@discoverPHL.com

###

Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), www.discoverPHL.com , a private non-profit membership corporation, is the official Tourism Promotion Agency for the City of Philadelphia globally, and the primary sales and marketing agency for the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center. The PHLCVB competes with its counterparts worldwide for convention and tourism business. The organization has departments dedicated to the multicultural, sports, and life sciences markets.