Attendees Represent Millions in Potential Economic Impact for City

PHILADELPHIA, PA…MARCH 19, 2013…The Active America China Summit, a conference attended by influential Chinese tour operators, travel agents and important US-based receptive tour operators, will meet in Philadelphia for the first time from March 26 – 28, 2013. As the host for this significant meeting, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVBCVB) will have the opportunity to showcase the city to important travel decision makers from China, one of the fastest growing inbound tourism markets for the United States. The tour and travel operators represent companies responsible for more than 40% of all tourism to North America in 2010 and could potentially bring millions in economic impact to Philadelphia in coming years.

“We are thrilled to have attracted this important meeting to Philadelphia,” said Jack Ferguson, president and CEO, PHLCVB. “Hosting the Summit will increase awareness of the Greater Philadelphia region among Chinese tour operators and help us substantially increase the number of visitors from China. The summit is the only show in North America 100% dedicated to building inbound Chinese tourism and we look forward to reaping the benefits of bringing it to our City.”

The PHLCVB, the City of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office have identified China as an important growth market for tourism and conventions. According to the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, inbound visitation to the United States from China increased 53% between 2009 and 2010, and has more than quadrupled in the past decade. To better capture Philadelphia's share of this market, the PHLCVB recently launched www.discoverPHL.cn, a fully translated Chinese website hosted in China, a first of its kind for any U.S. travel destination.

The summit will be attended by influential Chinese tour operators, travel agents, important US-based receptive operators who service these tour operators and suppliers (hotels, attractions, restaurants) from around the United States that want to attract Chinese travelers. Meetings are designed for networking and relationship building. This will be the first trip to Philadelphia for many of the attendees and the PHLCVB will provide familiarization tours of the city.

Since 2001, the PHLCVB has successfully marketed and sold Philadelphia to potential international travelers, resulting in moving the city to the 12th-most visited American city in 2011, up from the 21st in 2000. The organization maintains translated web content in eleven languages and international visitors guides in five languages. The Active America China summit and other marketing efforts are intended to position the City as a global destination for meetings and conventions, international visitors, group travel or prospective students seeking world-class educational institutions.

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