Philadelphia sees record visitation in 2014

VISIT PHILADELPHIA® annual report demonstrates the importance of the region’s travel and tourism industry, responsible for $10.4 billion in economic impact in 2014 alone. The report is downloadable at visitphilly.com/annualreport.

“Greater Philadelphia’s tourism industry is strong and getting stronger each year,” said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of VISIT PHILADELPHIA. “The leisure segment has been particularly successful. It’s increased 90% since 1997, making it the fastest growing segment of all.”

2014 Numbers:

Greater Philadelphia welcomed a record 39.7 million day and overnight visitors.
Visitor spending in Greater Philadelphia:
Generated $10.4 billion in economic impact—or $28.6 million every day.
Supported 92,000 full-time jobs.
Generated $655 million in state and local taxes. That’s money that then supports priority programs such as schools and sanitation.
Sources: Tourism Economics and Longwoods International

The Leisure Story:

Of the region’s 39.7 million visitors, 34.9 million (88%) were here for a leisure purpose.
Leisure is a major driver of hotel occupancy. Of the 3.1 million hotel room nights occupied in Center City Philadelphia, 30.7% were leisure stays.

That’s 948,000 leisure room nights—up 273% since 1997 when VISIT PHILADELPHIA began marketing the region as a leisure destination.Philly’s Saturday hotel occupancy (88.2%) is second only to New York City (90.4%) among major northeast cities, including Boston, Baltimore and Washington, DC.

Weekends aren’t the only time leisure travelers are coming to Philadelphia:
34% of all hotel room nights were booked by leisure travelers.
20% of all weekday hotel room nights were booked by leisure travelers.