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Draft:Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
AbbreviationPHLCVB
Formation1941
TypeNonprofit
HeadquartersPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
President and CEO
Gregg Caren
WebsiteOfficial website

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) is the official tourism promotion agency for the City of Philadelphia and the primary sales and marketing agency for the Pennsylvania Convention Center.[1] Established in 1941, PHLCVB is a private nonprofit membership organization that works to drive economic impact through the attraction of meetings, conventions, sporting events, and international visitors.[2]

History

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PHLCVB was formed in 1941 with the support of business leader Albert M. Greenfield to attract conventions and tourists to the city. It played a central role in booking major events ahead of the 1993 opening of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.[3] In 1996, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (now Visit Philadelphia) was established to handle leisure tourism marketing, while PHLCVB remained focused on business and international visitation.[2]

Leadership

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PHLCVB is governed by a board of directors. The current chair is Karen Dougherty Buchholz, executive vice president of administration at Comcast Corporation.[4] Gregg Caren has served as president and CEO since June 2020.[5] Past leaders include Julie Coker,[6] Jack Ferguson,[7] and Tom Muldoon.[8]

Divisions

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PHL Diversity

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Launched in 1987 as the Multicultural Affairs Congress, PHL Diversity was the first multicultural division within a U.S. convention and visitors bureau.[9] By 1991, Philadelphia was ranked first in the nation for minority tourism. [3]

PHL Sports

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PHL Sports works to attract major athletic events to Philadelphia. It played a role in securing the NFL Draft (2017), the Army–Navy Game, NCAA tournaments, and WrestleMania 40 (2024), which drew over 145,000 attendees from all 50 states and 64 countries.[10] [11] Matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will also take place in the city. [12]

PHL Life Sciences

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PHL Life Sciences promotes Philadelphia to the medical, biotech, and scientific sectors. It connects meeting planners with academic and research institutions and has supported events such as the BIO International Convention and the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. [13] [14]

International Tourism

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PHLCVB maintains representation in multiple global markets, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, India, and China. In 2015, the organization opened an in-country tourism office in China to strengthen its presence in the city's highest-spending international market. [15] [16] It was one of the first U.S. destinations to launch a verified WeChat account for Chinese travelers, featuring interactive content such as a Lunar New Year scavenger hunt. [17]

Campaigns

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PHLCVB has supported marketing campaigns promoting Philadelphia as a transatlantic hub and international destination.[18] In 2023, the organization partnered with Visit Philadelphia on the joint "Come for Philadelphia. Stay for..." campaign. [19] [20]

Headquarters and Mural

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The organization’s headquarters features a large-scale mural titled The Energy and Vitality of Philadelphia. Commissioned by Mural Arts Philadelphia and created by artist Marcus Balum, the collage includes over 3,000 photos contributed by staff and community members. [1]

Events

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PHLCVB has helped bring a number of major events to Philadelphia, including:

The 2000 Republican National Convention and 2016 Democratic National Convention [21]

The 2015 World Meeting of Families and visit by Pope Francis/[22]

BIO International Convention[23]

Annual Army–Navy Game and NCAA Championships [12]

WrestleMania 40 (2024) [11]

2026 FIFA World Cup matches[12]

PHLCVB Foundation

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Founded in 2002, the PHLCVB Foundation supports tourism-related scholarships, workforce development, and community outreach. In 2024, it received proceeds from a public auction of citywide WrestleMania banners. [24]

Affiliations

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PHLCVB is a member of the U.S. Travel Association and Destinations International.

Awards

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In 2023, President and CEO Gregg Caren received the Globy Award for Hospitality Leadership from the Global Philadelphia Association. [25]

References

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  1. ^ a b "PHLCVB has a sleek new office, complete with photo mural". PhillyVoice.
  2. ^ a b "Analysis of Philadelphia's Destination Marketing Infrastructure and its Role in the Hospitality Sector September 2014". Christy Brady, CPA.
  3. ^ a b https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1993/06/26/philadelphia-pins-hopes-on-convention-center/e254611b-e33a-4fe7-a04f-67f6460010b9/
  4. ^ Genova, Ryan (October 20, 2022). "Flourtown's Karen Dougherty Buchholz named PHLCVB Chair". Glenside Local.
  5. ^ https://www.pcma.org/people-on-the-move-20200515/https://digitalmag.theceomagazine.com/gregg-caren/?r=us
  6. ^ Oates, Greg (February 23, 2016). "Philadelphia's New Conventions CEO on Reinventing Old Meetings Ideas". Skift.
  7. ^ Writer, Jane M. Von Bergen, Inquirer Staff (September 29, 2014). "He's a lifer in the hospitality business". Inquirer.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Muldoon retiring as city tourism chief". Inquirer.com. October 16, 2009.
  9. ^ Writer, Tom Belden, Inquirer Staff (June 11, 2007). "Pioneers in ethnic marketing". Inquirer.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Perez-Castells, Ariana (April 29, 2024). "WrestleMania banners that hung on Philly streets are for sale. The auction has raised over $10,000 in 6 hours". Inquirer.com.
  11. ^ a b "WrestleMania 40 banners up for auction: How to bid on the WWE memorabilia - CBS Philadelphia". www.cbsnews.com. April 30, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c "Organizers and City officials react to Philly's 2026 World Cup schedule".
  13. ^ Writer, Tom Belden, Inquirer Staff (April 16, 2007). "City seeks health-care meetings". Inquirer.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ https://www.c-mw.net/the-philadelphia-life-sciences-story/https://technical.ly/startups/pittcon-2013/
  15. ^ "Philadelphia tourism hires agency in China". PhillyVoice.
  16. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2015/03/04/philadelphia-launches-marketing-campaign-in-china.html
  17. ^ Zorrilla, Mónica Marie (March 12, 2019). "Why Chinese tourists swarmed a pig sculpture in Reading Terminal Market". Billy Penn at WHYY.
  18. ^ Reed, Ted. "Philadelphia Eyes Ascent To World Tourism Hotspot On July 4, 2026". Forbes.
  19. ^ Elliott, Stuart (December 3, 2012). "Telling the Story of PHL (Also Known as Philadelphia)". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  20. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2023/01/31/visit-philly-cvb-launch-joint-marketing-campaign.html
  21. ^ https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2016/08/17/phlcvb-philly-convention-tourism-dnc-hotel-rates.html
  22. ^ Mathis, Joel (February 5, 2015). "Pope's Visit: Bigger Than The Super Bowl".
  23. ^ "The Philadelphia life sciences story". January 29, 2025.
  24. ^ "WWE fans now have chance to bid for massive WrestleMania banners that hung in Philly". April 30, 2024.
  25. ^ "Globy Awards | Global Philadelphia". globalphiladelphia.org. January 30, 2023.
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Official website

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