Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Philadelphians have long known that their city is easy to get around, chock full of farmers markets, kind to bikers and teeming with great take-out options, and now Real Simple magazine is making sure the world knows as well, ranking the city 12^th in its survey of “21 Top

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced that the Shop America Alliance (SAA) recognized it as the best Destination Management Organization for the Philly 360°® African-American marketing campaign’s fall fashion promotion. SAA honored the 21 Shop America Salutes Innovation (SASI) award winners from organizations in the United States

African-American tourism marketing campaign Philly 360°®. Now in its second year, the initiative focuses on expanding the destination’s current visitor base by attracting a new group of African-American travelers who are younger, technologically savvy and driven to an urban destination based on its contemporary cultural offerings, vibrant nightlife and overall

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced the 10 new creative ambassadors—visual and performing artists and entrepreneurs from Philadelphia’s talented creative class—who will shape its Philly 360°® African-American marketing campaign in year two. Singer, songwriter and former member of Floetry, Marsha Ambrosius will serve as 2010’s lead creative

WHAT: Have cabin fever? Most residents of the snow-covered Philadelphia region do, which is exactly why Mayor Michael Nutter and civic leaders are encouraging folks to get out and Spread the Love during this long Valentine’s Day weekend—and extending through Sunday, February 21, 2010—in Philadelphia. Really, there’s no excuse not

This is a CBS 3/The CW Philly press release.

CBS 3 and The CW Philly will highlight the next generation of influential Black artists in Philadelphia in celebration of Black History Month. The stations will air a series of five vignettes throughout February, each focusing on a different young artist

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched a new video series available at visitphilly.com/northwest, highlighting the culture, history and vitality of the city’s Northwest neighborhoods. Funded by the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC), the project is part of an increased effort to market the vibrant, culturally rich

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation makes it easy to find fun things to do in the Philadelphia region thanks to a host of increasingly popular social media tools. Whether people like to connect with friends on Facebook, tweet from their smart phones, surf the Web or get the scoop

In a time when people are questioning the purchase of everything from coffee to cars, Philadelphia and The Countryside® is worth the trip, according to 30 million visitors. On January 8, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) released its Tourism Industry Profile 2010: Worth the Trip, an industry snapshot

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched visitphilly.com, the new, renamed tourism Web site that replaces the region’s popular and official tourism Web site, gophila.com.

WHY: GPTMC embarked on the new Web site project in order to achieve a dramatically enhanced Web site that strengthens GPTMC’s ability to

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched its 2010 $1.7 million tourism marketing campaign with 25 new With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ ads, bringing the total to 115 personalized love letters addressed to travelers with all sorts of interests. Along with a winter TV commercial, the new ads will begin

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched visitphilly.com, the new, renamed tourism Web site that replaces the popular gophila.com—a site that has received 40 million visits, ranked #1 on Google for the search term “Philadelphia” and built authority that equates to nearly 30,000 links to it. The dramatically

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) announced today that the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will recognize its outstanding public relations work with two awards during the Adrian Awards Gala in New York City on February 1, 2010. Judges evaluated nearly 1,100 entries from around the globe

gophila.com and uwishunu.com are the go-to-sites for Philadelphia locals and visitors looking to get festive in Philadelphia and The Countryside® this holiday season. Beginning November 20, the official visitor site for Greater Philadelphia, gophila.com will offer loads of holiday content, including e-postcards, top five lists, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day

It’s free! It’s new! It’s all about me (Philadelphia)! The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today proudly debuted the second edition of the Official Philly Brag Book, filled with just 200 of the countless facts about the region that make Philadelphians so darn proud. For this project, GPTMC teamed

WHAT: The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is hosting a Phillies fan party in New York City during game one of the World Series—a match-up between Philadelphia and New York. The tourism office and Shorty’s, an authentic Philly cheesesteak restaurant/bar in Hell’s Kitchen (in Manhattan), are co-hosting a With

gophila.com/phillies and uwishunu.com are the go-to-sites for Philadelphia locals and visitors “phired” up to see the Phillies defend their World Series title against the New York Yankees. The official visitor site for Greater Philadelphia, gophila.com/phillies offers visitors and locals loads of Phillies-related content, including places to watch the game, the

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) recently launched the newest component of its With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ campaign, and it’s got heart: an online postcard generator enabling Philly locals, visitors and fans to send one of eight postcards to friends and family with a personalized message. Those who send a

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) recently launched phase two of Philly 360°™, a marketing campaign designed to expand the region’s visitor base by attracting a new group of African-American travelers who are young, affluent, technologically savvy and driven to a destination based on its contemporary cultural offerings, vibrant

• The second largest city on the East Coast, Philadelphia is the sixth largest city in the United States, with a population of 1.4 million in Philadelphia and 3.9 million people residing in the five-county region.
• Thanks to founder William Penn, Philadelphia’s Center City follows an easy-to-navigate grid street design. The

Does Chef Jose Garces indulge in scrapple? Has DJ/producer Diplo run the Rocky steps? Readers of uwishunu.com will find out the answers to these and many other questions when they read the “With Love Letters” series on uwishunu.com. In the posts, the “personality” of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing

Who says you can’t buy love? The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing (GPTMC) today announced the launch of gophila.com/shop, where people can purchase T-shirts, banners, notepads, sneakers, tote bags and more, all branded with the popular With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ logo. Since the launch of the tourism marketing campaign in

Calling all military personnel. Philadelphia, the city where the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines were all founded, invites the military and their families to have some fun in America’s birthplace while taking advantage of tours and special offers available to them, now through Veterans Day. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing

This summer, as part of the new With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ marketing campaign, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is asking 5,000 Philadelphians to send postcards to friends and family all over the country inviting them to visit Philadelphia and stay over in a hotel.

Philadelphians can write

This is a CBS 3/The CW Philly press release.

Staying close to home this summer? There will be no shortage of ideas for fun things to do thanks to a new partnership between sister stations CBS 3/The CW Philly 57 and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. The stations and

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) announced today that Julie Coker will join its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Coker is currently the general manager at the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing, the only city hotel located in the revitalized waterfront area. She occupies one of two GPTMC

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will debut PHILLY 360°™, The Book—the newest component of its African-American tourism marketing campaign—at The Roots Picnic on June 6, 2009. The limited-edition, hard-bound book features interviews with some of Philadelphia’s most prominent African-American tastemakers and trendsetters, including The Roots, King Britt

Today the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) released its Tourism 2009 Report to the Region. The 36-page publication provides a comprehensive snapshot of the region’s leisure tourism industry and takes a look at opportunities and challenges the region faces as a result of the current economy. The annual report

As part of the new With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ campaign, visitors who book one of the 80 featured packages on gophila.com/withlove will receive a special gift at check-in. The giveaway includes a Philadelphia Privileges coupon book, a Dining Guide that gives hotel guests a pass to exclusive prix-fixe menus around

CAMPAIGN NAME: With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™

CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW: Launching May 2009, With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ is part of GPTMC’s 2009 recessionary strategy to boost leisure visitation and overnight hotel stays in Philadelphia. It appeals to many different audiences through various letters addressed to travelers. Penned by the city itself, the

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today revealed With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™, a new $1.4 million tourism marketing campaign developed in direct response to the current economic climate and designed to increase leisure visitation and hotel occupancy.

In total this summer, GPTMC will spend $2.5 million to woo leisure

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) has launched a contest as part of the Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay® tourism marketing campaign. Entrants can sign up to win “Philly’s Ultimate Gay Stay,” including a trip to the city and dining, shopping and pampering at

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is proud to announce the renewal of three partnerships to support its groundbreaking gay and lesbian marketing campaign, Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay®. Southwest Airlines has teamed up with GPTMC for the second year, while R Family Vacations

In summer 2009, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) debuted a new twist on its African-American tourism marketing campaign. The initiative focuses on expanding the destination’s current visitor base by attracting a new group of African-American travelers who are younger, technologically savvy and driven to an urban destination based

History buffs, science enthusiasts, art lovers and Galileo fans eager to visit Philadelphia for the Galileo, The Medici and The Age of Astronomy exhibition—making its exclusive stop at The Franklin Institute Science Museum, April 4-September 7, 2009—need look no further than gophila.com/galileo, a specially created section on the Philadelphia’s

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) gophila.com and Travelocity are celebrating a two-year partnership that has generated more than 17,000 reservations, 28,600 room nights and $5.5 million in room revenue. The third year of the partnership marks the debut of a new look and new technology that makes the

DONNA SCHORR, a young-at-heart Baby Boomer
Director of Communications

Yes, I take a train ride to the city every day, and at this age, I’m no expert on late night clubbing. But I’ve lived in or near Philly for decades (never mind how many), and I can tell you a

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced that Agnes Marie Ogletree will join its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Ogletree is currently the chief operating officer for Wireless Philadelphia, a non-profit organization responsible for the $20 million wireless network deployed throughout the City of Philadelphia. Wireless Philadelphia has

This week the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) kicked off its “Philly Guest of the Day” promotion, a brand-new element of the 10-week, recession-inspired Love campaign. Over the next five weeks, 100 travelers who redeem a Philly Overnight® Hotel Package before March 16, 2009 will be named “Philly Guest

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced a new marketing strategy designed to promote the region’s strong African-American cultural heritage and contemporary creative scene. The integrated campaign—set to debut in summer 2009—will focus on expanding the destination’s current visitor base by attracting a new core group of travelers

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced new partnerships for Black History Month with four Philadelphia media outlets: CBS 3, The CW Philly 57, KYW Newsradio 1060 and The Philadelphia Tribune. The partnerships involve content sharing through Web, print and broadcast mediums in an effort to extend marketing

A love-themed “PJ Love Patrol,” festive window displays and an unexpected hotel promotion with free surprise gifts for visitors are spreading Philadelphia’s Love message this winter. It’s all part of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) 10-week tourism campaign to promote the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package with free

Philadelphia made a splash at the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International’s (HSMAI) annual Adrian Awards ceremony by bringing Benjamin Franklin (Ralph Archbold) and Betsy Ross (Linda Wilde) to accept one of four honors awarded to the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). The Philadelphia tourism office received a platinum

Visitors to Philadelphia and The Countryside® can pick from dozens of special hotel packages on gophila.com, but the Philly Overnight® Hotel Package remains a fan favorite. Available year round at more than 30 hotels in the city and region, the offer comes with free hotel parking and a brand-new

Robert Indiana’s iconic Love statue takes center stage in the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) 10-week, love-themed tourism promotion set to debut on January 15, 2009. The new Love campaign promotes the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, which this February reaches an incredible milestone: 100,000 packages sold and $20

The International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA) awarded Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) gophila.com, the official visitor site for the Philadelphia region, a Silver Davey Award in the Travel category. In its fourth year, the Davey Awards honor “the finest creative work from the best small firms,

Philly’s More Holiday Fun, an award-winning campaign by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) to promote the region’s seasonal experiences, kicks off its second year with even more great ways to celebrate the holidays in the region. The tourism campaign includes a specialized microsite, gophila.com/holidays (details below); a public

Looking for a one-stop shop for holiday gifts and travel plans? On November 3, 2008, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) launched a microsite, gophila.com/holidays, featuring themed holiday itineraries, a 25-item gift guide with nothing over $25, coupons, a contest, hotel packages that include free parking and more.

gophila.com/phillies is the go-to-site for those traveling to Philadelphia for the 2008 Major League Baseball World Series. The official visitor site for Greater Philadelphia, gophila.com/phillies offers visitors and locals loads of Phillies-related content, including places to watch the game, park information, a photo slideshow, tips for fans from the American

In 2007, the Greater Philadelphia region set a new record in the tourism industry by welcoming 30 million visitors. A new report released today by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) also shows that in the past decade there has been 36% growth in total visitation, and overnight leisure

On Monday, October 6, 2008, Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association (TIA), will talk to Philadelphia’s hospitality community about the trends and challenges that are impacting the global travel industry in 2008 and beyond. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) has organized Dow’s presentation to

Travel Weekly, one of the most influential trade publications for the travel industry, awarded gophila.com a Silver Magellan Award in the Destinations/City category. Magellan Awards honor “the best in travel and salute the outstanding travel professionals behind it all.” Created and maintained by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC),

Journalists are taking notice of Philadelphia as a hot urban destination, as evidenced by the many accolades bestowed on the city in September and October 2008. Here’s a look at what some national magazines and a Web site had to say:

• Business Facilities chose Philadelphia as one of seven destinations

More than 600,000 submissions to a Travel + Leisure/CNN Headline News 2008 America’s Favorite Cities survey gave Philadelphia high marks for the things that people look for when they’re deciding where to visit or live.

“When you get know us, you’ll love us,” said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO,

On Saturday, September 13, 2008, CW Philly won a 2008 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Award in the Community/Public Service category for a series of public service announcements produced in partnership with GPTMC and The African American Museum in Philadelphia. More than 1.5 million people watched the segments, which aired throughout Black

Population:
There are 3.9 million people residing in the five-county region (7.75 million in the Philadelphia Designated Market Area), making Philadelphia the second largest city on the East Coast and the sixth largest in the U.S.

Location:
Philadelphia is a two-hour drive from New York City, two-and-a-half hours

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) received a 2008 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® nomination in the Community/Public Service category for a series of public service announcements produced with CBS3, CW Philly and The African American Museum in Philadelphia. More than 1.5 million people watched the segments, which aired throughout Black History

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) President and CEO Meryl Levitz today announced two promotions. Jeff Guaracino has been promoted from director of regional communications to vice president of communications, and Angela Patterson has been appointed to oversee the newly expanded tourism department as vice president of tourism.

In his

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced the award of marketing grants to 31 Philadelphia-area organizations totaling $350,000 for projects that show potential to draw more tourists to the region. Since 1997, GPTMC has awarded more than 200 marketing grants totaling nearly $4 million to high-quality, compelling and

Wedding bells, the Liberty Bell and a three-day Fourth of July weekend has the hospitality industry still celebrating Independence Day. According to the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association (GPHA), Philadelphia hotel occupancy soared to 87% on Friday, July 4, and visitors stayed the

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will join thousands of members of the media at UNITY ‘08: A New Journalism for a Changing World, July 23-27 in Chicago, to promote Philadelphia and The Countryside®. During the five-day convention, GPTMC will host three media receptions in conjunction with the local

Travelers just love it! The Philly Overnight® Hotel Package returns for the fifth straight year and just in time for the winter holiday season. Created to boost tourism in the wake of September 11, 2001, the package is now a resident and visitor favorite thanks to its affordability and irresistible

What is one way to cope with tax season? Tourist season. Visitors to the Greater Philadelphia region contributed $1.38 billion in local, state and federal taxes, according to the 2006 Greater Philadelphia Tourism Monitor: Branding Builds Business. The 40-page piece, released annually by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC),

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced the addition of a Hispanic section to gophila.com’s online pressroom, a 24/7 global news source for media. En Español, accessible from the homepage of the pressroom, contains press releases written in Spanish about Philadelphia’s blockbuster exhibitions, seasonal activities, special events and

On May 15, 2007, during National Tourism Week (May 12-20, 2007), the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will present its annual report to the regional tourism and hospitality industry. This year’s report, entitled Tourism 2007: Report to the Industry, will focus on the personalization of GPTMC’s marketing efforts and

IgoUgo travel blog, a partner of Travelocity, named Philadelphia one of  “10 US Cities with Tourism Sites to See” this month. The trip planning Web site called gophila.com, Greater Philadelphia’s official tourism Web site, “undeniably fresh” and “full of multimedia options” and went on to say, “But besides being

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced new partnerships with four major corporations: Bank of America, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, PECO Wind and American Express.

“With new tourism initiatives under way and on the horizon, it is important for GPTMC to extend its marketing messages,” said Meryl Levitz, president and

On May 15, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will release its annual report, entitled Tourism 2007: Report to the Industry, to members of the regional tourism and hospitality industry. Distribution of the 42-page report, themed “Marketing Gets Personal,” coincides with National Tourism Week (May 12-20) and GPTMC’s

Both business and pleasure are on the agenda for the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) during National Tourism Week (May 12-20), an annual Travel Industry Association of America commemoration themed “Travel & Tourism: America’s Front Door” for 2007.

GPTMC kicked off the week on May 12 with the launch

Nearly 50 writers, photographers and travel professionals from all across Canada will convene in Philadelphia this summer for a meeting of the Society of American Travel Writers’ (SATW) Canadian Chapter, July 19-23, 2007.

Hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), the SATW meeting will include professional development sessions,

Summer’s here, and Philadelphia is ready to show potential visitors just how fun a trip to the region can be. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will run the next phase of the six-year-old Philly’s More Fun campaign to fuel the region’s $27 million per day tourism industry. Set

Boundless Philadelphia™, a $1.7 million campaign by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation to promote the region’s outdoor offerings, kicks off its second year with three new initiatives: enhanced features on BoundlessPhiladelphia.com, major partnerships and a hotel package. These enhancements will raise the visibility of the campaign to runners and

Nearly 250 professional and amateur social media enthusiasts from the Greater Philadelphia area and around the nation came together in Center City from July 12-13 for the inaugural BlogPhiladelphia conference. The free event, which took place at the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel Philadelphia, generated rounds of discussion and fostered creative

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) awarded $250,000 to 28 Philadelphia-area organizations for projects that will draw more tourists to the region. This 2007 grant recipients are:

• African American Museum in Philadelphia
• American Women’s Heritage Society, Inc.
• Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
• Arden Theatre Company
• Art Sanctuary
• Atwater

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced marketing grants awarded to 28 Philadelphia-area organizations totaling $250,000 for projects that will draw more tourists to the region. Since 1997, GPTMC has awarded more than 265 marketing grants totaling nearly $4.5 million to compelling and marketable events, exhibitions and special

The Philadelphia region experienced one of its strongest summers to date in 2007, according to officials at the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB) and the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association (GPHA). Philadelphia was in high demand this summer for three reasons: there was

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) recently received three awards recognizing the company’s efforts to promote Greater Philadelphia as an incredible, affordable, accessible and desirable destination to leisure tourists. Two of the honors came from local marketing organizations, and one came from Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell.

• Meryl Levitz,

Manuel N. Stamatakis, chairman of Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), announced the appointment of Fred A. Shabel as chairman emeritus of GPTMC. The board voted to extend this title to him because of his continued work on behalf of GPTMC and Philadelphia’s tourism industry.

Year after year, Fred Shabel

A pair of big award wins this fall honor two technology-based projects developed by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). One award recognized gophila.com, the Philadelphia region’s official tourism Web site, while the other honored SoundAboutPhilly™, featuring free dynamically mapped and completely customizable sound-seeing tours of the

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced the appointment of Rhonda R. Cohen, Esq. to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Cohen is a former partner at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, one of the largest law firms in Philadelphia, where she practiced for 20 years before

Philadelphia isn’t waiting until Black Friday to kick off the holiday season. Today, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) announced a $350,000 initiative called Philly’s More Holiday Fun to showcase the city’s holiday experience. The campaign shines a light on Philadelphia’s distinctively independent shops, lighting displays, seasonal events and

Local favorites on South Street are highlighted in uwishunu™ (as in “you wish you knew”), a tourism campaign created by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), funded by the City of Philadelphia and supported by City Council President Anna Verna, City Councilperson Frank DiCicco and their colleagues to show

Foodies in Philadelphia are on a mission to make their hometown the finest destination for affordable, upscale cuisine in the country. More than 200 restaurants make up the ever-growing bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) dining phenomenon, and diners and BYOB owners are loving every morsel of it. Now, restaurants are even encouraging patrons

 It’s not every day that running enthusiasts get to practice their sport with an Olympian by their side, but they can do exactly that in Philadelphia on November 17 when Run with Olympians takes place during Philadelphia Marathon weekend. The free event will give runners of all levels a chance

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) announced a $2 million summer marketing campaign to promote Philadelphia and The Countryside® to travelers seeking history, fun and affordability. On June 1, the tourism organization will debut new Philly’s More Fun™ and Historic Philadelphia advertising campaigns, emphasizing a variety of summer experiences

Responding to a national trend that has consumers watching their dollars, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation announces the availability of three affordable hotel packages for the busy summer travel season. The Philly’s More Summer Fun Hotel Package pairs a hotel stay with a $50 gift card from American Express,

Video podcasts—also known as vodcasts—are the newest tool visitors can use to plan their trip to Philadelphia, and they’re now available on the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) gophila.com and uwishunu.com. The series of free three- to five-minute themed video tours guide visitors through some of the city’s

On May 30, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will launch the first phase of its new pressroom on gophila.com/pressroom. The site will be a more useful and efficient resource for journalists than ever before with integrated content, improved search capabilities, social media tools and more. And it

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced that WTXF-FOX 29 will be the official media sponsor of its Historic Philadelphia campaign, an effort that promotes the lively area between Front to 7^th Streets and Race to Spruce Streets. The partnership gives the attractions, restaurants, galleries and shops

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced the appointment of John H. Estey to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Estey is currently a partner in the Business & Finance Department and chair of the Government Relations & Regulatory Affairs Group at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP.

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), a leading organization in the tourism, travel and hospitality industry, awarded the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) seven Adrian Awards for public relations and Web marketing at a ceremony last night in New York City.

This year, there were more than

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced what’s new with uwishunu® (as in "you wish you knew"), including new advertising creative, three new Web TV series, an enhanced Philly Like A Local hotel package and additional partnerships. Funded by the City of Philadelphia, uwishunu is a $5 million

On the heels of a successful first year, uwishunu®, a two-year marketing initiative promoting Philly primarily through new media and Web 2.0 tools, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is responding to the uwishunu.com audience’s interest in original content with the debut of three new Web video

The Philly Like A Local hotel package, one component of a program designed to provide the real deal from real Philadelphians on eating, drinking, music and culture, proved to be a success in year one, generating 1,332 room nights in its first 10 months and an estimated income of $475,000

Openings:

• Please Touch Museum and Centennial District – When it opens on October 18, 2008, the children’s museum’s new location in Fairmount Park’s Memorial Hall—a National Historic Landmark built in 1876 for the Centennial Exhibition—will boast three times more space for exhibitions and programs. Just outside the museum,

To mark the 100^th anniversary of Mother’s Day, started by Philadelphia resident and West Virginia native Anna Jarvis to honor her mother Anna Marie, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Office of the City Representative are organizing the City of Motherly Love" celebration on Saturday, May

On May 15, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will release its annual report, entitled Tourism 2008 Report to the Region, to members of the local, regional and national tourism and hospitality industry. Distribution of the report, themed "More Partners, More Promotions, More People" coincides with National Tourism

Love won’t be the only thing in the air on Thursday, February 14. That’s also the day when the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and KYW Newsradio, a CBS station, will launch Hear Philly!, an Internet radio station devoted to sounding off on all of the great things

This year, Philadelphia, a city that’s been brewing beer for more than 300 years, is showing that it’s one of America’s best beer drinking cities with the debut of several new brew-inspired tours, guides, classes and festivals, including Philly Beer Week, taking place March 7-16, 2008. The suds fest will

To keep attracting more tourists to the region, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is teaming up with American Legacy magazine for their "Know Your History" mobile tour during Black History Month. The exhibition will travel to 12 U.S. cities throughout the month of February and is expected to

Planning a trip to Philly just got easier on gophila.com. Now, in addition to booking hotel rooms, visitors can reserve an automobile from nearly 30 rental car companies and purchase tickets for dozens of activities, museums and cultural institutions, including The Franklin, the National Constitution Center, the Philadelphia Museum

This February is extra special because it adds another full day to the 2008 calendar. In honor of the occasion, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is using www.gophila.com, the region’s official visitor site, and insider blog www.uwishunu.com, to ask people what they will do with the

Philly locals will be the centerpiece of new creative developed for the Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay® tourism marketing campaign, giving it a next-generation appeal. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and Southwest Airlines will debut "We Your People" in national advertising placements and in

Hosted by Philadelphia Daily News beer reporter Don Russell, also known as Joe Sixpack, a series of beer-focused vodcasts (short videos) launched today on gophila.com/beer and uwishunu.com/beer. The vodcasts guide beer lovers through the bars and pubs of four Philly neighborhoods, teaching informally about beer, food pairings and the