Philadelphians are used to seeing the city’s skyline change color. Buildings routinely glow pink, for example, to promote breast cancer awareness, or green to celebrate a big Eagles win.
In July, the skyline gleamed purple, and locals no doubt enjoyed the show. But the story behind its impact on everyday Philadelphians, thanks to the efforts of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), deserves its own illumination.
Over five days, the Alzheimer’s Association hosted its global conference here. To welcome over 12,000 attendees from 102 countries, the skyline went purple – Alzheimer’s color cause.
But the meeting didn’t support the well-being only of people living with the disease. It also supported the economic vibrancy of the entire five-county region.
Which may come as a surprise to anyone unaware of the financial impact that conferences have here.
“They see welcoming signs around the convention center, airport and transit hubs, the sky lit up in different colors to honor different groups, and they don’t know what’s behind it,” says Jamie Huckleberry, the PHLCVB’s director of destination services.
“Some even think their tax dollars are being spent on showing outsiders a good time. They wonder, ‘Why are we going all out for visitors? What’s in it for us?’”
An awful lot, actually.
Conventions and tourism overall support the region’s wealth, job creation, and stability by attracting millions of visitors who spend money on hotels, restaurants, entertainment, transportation, and local attractions – creating a ripple effect that strengthens the local economy.
In 2023 alone, the PHLCVB brought 264 meetings, conventions, and events to the city, where 550,000 attendees booked 563,400 room nights in Center City hotels.
While here, they spent $261 million on lodging, meals, transportation, cultural events, and other visitor-supported activities that employ nearly 80,000 workers – which generated $38.5 million in local and state tax revenues. (For context, each household in Greater Philadelphia would have to be levied an additional $633 to replace that amount.)
Conventions also power the city’s tourism and hospitality ecosystem, which inspires regional investment. This results in everything from new hotels and restaurants to greater use of retail sites and entertainment venues like theaters, museums, and sports arenas.
Which helps ensure the security of jobs that support them.
“Group business is our lifeblood,” says Ken Reed, general manager of Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. “Not only from the revenue of guest rooms, but from ancillary revenue” from food, beverage, and banquet services.
International conferences especially, like the Alzheimer’s convention, lift the city’s global profile, says The Franklin Institute CEO and PHLCVB board member Larry Dubinski.
“Philadelphia is now seen as a destination in itself – not just a day trip for people visiting New York or Washington D.C., but a place that conference goers would love to explore,” Dubinski says.
“Business leaders see this when they visit. They look around and think, ‘Hey, maybe we should open a branch of our company here.’ I credit the PHLCVB. The outreach they’re doing, especially to the European, Asian, and Canadian communities, is letting everyone know what a tremendous city this is.”
And the world is listening.
Lonely Planet travel guide recently named Philadelphia as the only American city to visit in 2024 in their top 5 list, thanks to its “perfect blend of old school and modern metropolis.” USA Today readers and experts dubbed Philadelphia the country’s “most walkable city” for a second year in a row. Condé Nast Traveler called Philly a “cultural powerhouse” that “surprises” visitors with the depth and variety of experiences it offers. And the New York Times named Philly’s food scene one of the best in the country – “a mecca for food lovers, from high-end restaurants to its famous cheesesteaks.”
Thanks to the PHLCVB’s success in bringing meetings and conventions here, more and more “outsiders” are learning what smitten visitors already know: this is a sophisticated, interesting, and endlessly fun place to explore, enjoy – and return to.
And each time they do, they lift a tide that floats Philly’s boats.
To learn more about Alzheimer’s Association’s meeting in Philadelphia, visit discoverPHL.com/meet.