In May 1996, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of
Philadelphia and The Pew Charitable Trusts made a “golden promise”
to the readers of The Philadelphia Inquirer, asserting that
leisure tourism could serve as a replacement industry for lost
manufacturing jobs.
Ten years later, the organization created to market the region and
build its image, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing
Corporation (GPTMC), is celebrating a decade of accomplishments.
To mark the occasion, Governor Edward Rendell, Mayor John Street
and Rebecca Rimel, president of The Pew Charitable Trusts, took a
look back to see if the region delivered on the promise in a
commentary piece that ran in The Philadelphia Inquirer
today.
Below is the Op-Ed that first appeared in The Philadelphia
Inquirer in May of 1996.
To read the Anniversary commentary that was published in the
Inquirer on May 5, 2006, click here.
_________________________________
This article first appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer in
May of 1996. We are reprinting it here with their permission.
Philadelphia Tourism’s Golden
Promise
By: Edward G. Rendell, Thomas J. Ridge and Rebecca W.
Rimel
Benjamin Franklin
Image by Barrie Maguire for The
Inquirer
From the chambers of Independence Hall to the outdoor festivals on
Penn’s Landing, from the battlefields of Valley forge National
Historical Park to the artisans and shops of historic New Hope,
Greater Philadelphia has as much to offer as any comparable area
anywhere in the United States.
What’s more, all these attractions sit smack in the center of
one of the country’s most dynamic markets- the Eastern seaboard of
the United States. Given all its excellent attractions and
favorable location, isn’t it high time the region takes better
advantage of its potential as a travel and tourism destination?
The potential benefits of travel and tourism to the region
cannot be over-estimated. Nationally, travel and tourism is now the
second largest employer, providing jobs for 11 million people and
generating more than $51 billion in tax receipts each year. In
Pennsylvania alone, travel and tourism is an $18.5 billion
industry, supporting 344,000 jobs and growing at a rate of 4.3%
annually.
But despite these clear economic incentives, the Greater
Philadelphia region- the city and its four neighboring Pennsylvania
counties- has failed to market itself in an aggressive and
sophisticated way so that it might capture its share of this
burgeoning market. Up and down the Atlantic coast, we have been
out-hustled and outspent by cities and regions from Boston to
Miami. But this is about to change.
The Pew Charitable Trusts, recognizing the significant economic
development potential of the travel and tourism, have initiated a
break- the-mold partnership with the city of Philadelphia and the
commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The goal of the partnership is to
develop a sustained cooperative strategy for promoting the entire
Philadelphia region to travelers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region
and beyond.
Over the next three years, the three partners plan to invest $12
million to revitalize the travel and tourism industry in the
region. The Pew Trusts have committed up to $6 million to the
effort, and the city and state are contributing $3 million each.
(Within three years, the effort is expected to be self-sustaining,
funded by revenues and contributions from public and private
sources.)
If $4 million a year seems like an extravagance in these
economically tough times, consider that Las Vegas alone spends $19
million a year on tourism and travel promotion, New Orleans $4.8
million and San Antonio $3.5 million- and those dollars go to
promoting just those cities. Our plan promotes the entire
region.
Consider further what kind of return these cities get on their
investment. Travel and tourism creates thousands of jobs and brings
in millions of dollars annually to the economies. It is clearly
past time for the Philadelphia region to step up to the plate and
get in this high–payoff game.
Building a strong regional tourism market will require a
concerted and coordinated effort among many parties—both public and
private. As a first step, the city, state and Pew Trusts have
pooled their resources to create the Greater Philadelphia Tourism
Marking Corporation, which will be officially announced by the
three of us today.
The corporation’s main responsibility will be to market the
region to potential visitors, emphasizing Greater Philadelphia’s
appeal as an overnight destination. The corporation will also
highlight the activities of the region’s tourism related business
and attractions in order to leverage the area’s clout as a
destination. And it will start collecting the data needed to shape
a smarter and ore effective marketing strategy.
If it all sounds like a big job, it is. But it is also
achievable if the region—the whole region—pulls together. The
partnership among the city, state, and the Pew Trusts signals the
first of what we hope will be many region-wide cooperative efforts
that will serve as a catalyst for positive and powerful change.
What we ask is that all those with a stake in the region’s
future—the hospitality sector, the retail sector and the corporate
community in general—now come together to contribute their time,
their creativity, their energy, and yes their resources to move
this effort forward. We welcome you as partners in this venture, as
critical components of its success.
Ultimately, though, the effort rests not on what government of
the private sector does, but on the spirit of those who make the
Philadelphia area such a great place to visit—those who live and
work here. We rely on you to tell the region’s real story, one
filled with pride for our past and enthusiasm about our future.
But old habits die hard. When it comes to finding things wrong
with where they live, Philadelphians have shown themselves to have
an overabundance of creativity. Word of mouth is the most powerful
tourism marketing tool we have—for good or bad. Running down your
city, your region or your state hurts. Baltimore and Cleveland used
to be the national brunt of jokes. Nobody makes fun of them
anymore. The Philadelphia region needs to join—and eventually
lead—that league.
Two hundred years ago, the Philadelphia region was a bustling
hub of American enterprise and culture, a political nexus, and a
center of intellectual endeavor. The compelling hum of its river
ports and canals, the notable tolerance and diversity of its
citizenry, and the fertile and gracious landscape of the region
made this a destination for travelers from far and wide.
Today’s Philadelphia region has as much to offer visitors as it
did 200 years ago. It is time to reclaim our place in the hearts
and minds of America and to make this region once again a place
where people want to come, choose to linger, and look forward to
returning.
Edward G. Rendell is mayor of Philadelphia, Thomas J. Ridge is
our governor of Pennsylvania, and Rebecca W. Rimel is president of
the Pew Charitable Trusts
This article was taken from:
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Commentary Section, A13
May 1996