BIG TALKERS CHANGE PHILADELPHIA'S IMAGE
Philly Friends Extends Its Reach With New Presentation Designed To Create Buzz About Region

PHILADELPHIA, August 12, 2004 – Philly Friends, the region’s civic pride program, is celebrating its first birthday by introducing “Your Philadelphia,” a free, hour-long presentation designed to showcase the city’s greatest assets, build pride among residents and convey the importance of tourism to the region. A new component of the Philly Friends program, the “show-and-tell” is going on the road to companies, rotary clubs and community groups throughout the region.

The new presentation aims to acquaint people with the very things that make Philadelphia a great place to live, work and play. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) Rachel Delano created “Your Philadelphia” with the help of local advertising firm, Kanter International. Filled with pictures, facts and fun, the presentation gives the region’s best ambassadors, the people who live here, the tools they need to build a positive buzz about their home.

A recent online survey found that each of the 2,000-plus Philly Friends tells an average of eight people about a great museum, restaurant or event in the region. Proving that word of mouth works, 86% of the people whom Philly Friends spoke to reportedly took action by following through on a recommendation. This simple act of word-of-mouth communication translates into approximately 13,000 people building traffic at local restaurants and attractions.

Philly Friends are inducted during a series of orientations held in Philadelphia and Its Countryside. Members include news legend Larry Kane, Chef Joe Poon, sports icon Pat Croce and former residents who now live as far away as the Philippines, Japan and India. After each orientation, members are treated to a unique Philadelphia experience, such as a boat ride along the Delaware River, access to a new museum exhibit or a tour of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

Those interested in scheduling a free “Your Philadelphia” presentation or signing up for the next Philly Friends orientation in October can call (215) 599-2003 or visit www.gophila.com/friends.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), Philadelphia's regional tourism marketing agency, is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to building the region's economy and positive image through tourism and destination marketing. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, call the new Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676, or visit www.gophila.com. For information about arts and cultural attractions in the region, click on the CultureFiles link.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit the photo gallery of gophila.com/pressroom.  

August 2004

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