'Without People, We Don't Have An Industry': Philadelphia Hospitality Leaders Hope Tourists Return To City This Summer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Promoting the City of Brotherly Love. Leaders hope tourists return to the city this summer. This small step on the city's road to recovery would be a great boost for the hospitality industry. Eyewitness News has more on Visit Philadelphia's new ad campaign.
With over 70% of Americans planning to take a vacation between Memorial Weekend and Labor Day, the tourism industry in Philadelphia is spending millions in advertising to ensure city businesses get their share of the vacation dollars.
Tourism is big business for this region.
Whether families are thinking about traveling by plane, train, or automobile, Philly is working to boost its hospitality industry's economic recovery.
"This has been more than a year of real struggle for everybody, for everybody," Mayor Jim Kenney said. "We've lost people and we've seen people at their best."
The summer marketing strategy is aimed at drawing tourists to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection while pushing to get employees back to work.
"Our industry is about people and the people who travel and the people who make up our industry," Jeff Guaracino with Visit Philadelphia said. "Without people, we don't have an industry."
In Philadelphia County alone, more than 70,000 people work in hospitality and close to 30,000 are still unemployed.
Gregg Caren from the Convention and Visitors Bureau says while people are on edge to get back to work and fun, the Convention Center is pacing itself.
"Methodically, go through the calendar and methodically go through what are the acceptable, safe ways to run meetings, conventions, and competitive events again?" Caren said.
It may take years for the economy to recover, but officials say locals can stay and spend local to aid in the recovery. In fact, offers are already available.
Including Latino Restaurant Week and buy one, get one free museum tickets when you purchase from the Independence Visitor Center.
