Podcast: Visit Philadelphia Founder Talks About The City Tourism Industry’s Impact On Under-Served Communities
After decades of promoting the city of Philadelphia to both tourists and locals, Meryl Levitz says the time has come to retire as CEO of Visit Philadelphia, the tourism booster she founded in the ’90s. The longtime founding president of Philadelphia’s leisure tourism agency is retiring after serving 22 years. We spoke to Levitz and she […]
Fairmount: Businesses Rely Heavily on Tourists for Their Success
Tourism in Philadelphia has been growing rapidly since 1997. According to Visit Philly’s 2016 Annual Report, overnight leisure in Philadelphia has had a 96 percent increase in the past 22 years. This increase in tourism greatly affects Philadelphia’s economy. According to Visit Philly, visitors in 2015 spent 6.7 billion dollars in the Philadelphia region, mostly […]
Fairmount: Tourism’s Powerful Impact on the Area
From Pope Francis’ visit in September 2015 to the Democratic National Convention in July 2016, Philadelphia has recently seen an increased number of tourists flock to the City of Brotherly Love. Each year, the city has seen a recent surge in visitors year over year, according to Visit Philadelphia. In 2015, the city had a total of 41 million […]
South Philadelphia: Neighborhood Museums Cater to Community
As Philadelphia continues to evolve as a prime tourist destination, with a record 41 million visitors in 2015, many neighborhoods of the city have undergone revitalization efforts intended to boost the number of residents and tourists. Many flock to the city for the history, arts and culture here. While each neighborhood has something to offer, other parts […]
City Hall: Eight Statues That Help Tell The History of Philadelphia
The plazas surrounding City Hall are enriched with iconic statues. From the 37-foot-tall monument of William Penn at the top of the building to the smaller statues scattered around the base of the structure, these figures are meant to memorialize the lives and accomplishments of Philadelphians of past eras. Locals and tourists hustle through their […]
Brewerytown: Girard-Dream Garden An Attempt To Integrate Bordering Neighborhoods
In 2011, the Brewerytown CDC and the Fairmount CDC collaborated to turn an abandoned lot into a space the two neighborhoods could put to use, creating the foundation for the community run Girard-Dream Garden. With the help of a grant from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, the Fairmount CDC was able to select and […]
Old City: Carriage Driver Turned Teacher
Kelly Filbert is a horse carriage driver in Old City. Being a horse carriage driver has made her find a love for history. She wants to pass her knowledge on to everyone who steps into her carriage. Can you explain the difference between this job and other jobs you have worked? This job is […]
Mayfair: Butterfly Project Brings Monarchs to Mayfair
In the coming months, Mayfair’s residents and visitors can expect to see thousands of butterflies roaming throughout the neighborhood. After learning that the iconic North American black-and-orange insect is on the verge of disappearing for good, a coalition of organizations within the neighborhood decided to launch the Monarch Butterfly Project. “The monarch is an endangered […]
Fox Chase: Ryerss Mansion Preserves History Through Close Community Ties
Sometimes historic sites hide within their neighborhoods. That’s been the case for Ryerss Museum & Library at 7370 Central Ave. in Burholme Park near the Fox Chase section of the city. Built and donated to Philadelphia by the Ryerss family, the mansion served as a summer home until Joseph Ryerss passed away and his son Robert moved in with […]
Chestnut Hill: Pennsylvania General Store Opens Location on Germantown Avenue
Walking down Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill, the Pennsylvania General Store fits comfortably alongside the local boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops. Just six months ago, the store owned by Michael Holahan and his wife only had one location: Reading Terminal Market. “In Chestnut Hill, it’s a little bit more of a neighborhood store, so you […]