Tourism Up In Philly, Down in NYC

[thoth]

People still love Dutch Country and taking pictures with pissed off Amish people.

I don't think it's Pittsburgh that is the Pennsylvania draw as much as it is some of our countryside.

[eldondre]

What are the dynamics behind Boston luring 1.2 M international visitors last year but Philadelphia only 633 K? Especially when Phillly is only an hour train ride from NYC which received 8.5 M international visitors.

What differentiates Boston from Philly in the eyes of international tourists?

Phillys gritty image?

High crime rate?

NYC - 8.5 M
DC- 1.7 M
Bos-1.2 M
Phi- 600 K

Thats sort of embarrassing

I think you have to look at it in light of where we were...If I'm not mistaken, Philly spent the better part of the last decade climbing the charts...which means we must have been extraordinarily low. to me, boston's number is a good goal.

I don't think it's Pittsburgh that is the Pennsylvania draw as much as it is some of our countryside.

I suppose (though I'm not sure lancaster is "ours"), or it could be both. I could see some growth there as lancaster has become overdeveloped and commercialized, people start looking to other counties where the amish live. then again, lancaster's main appeal may be location. OTOH, NY has the hudson valley...I'm curious

edited to add: looks like it was 710k in 2008
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...18/daily6.html

[eldondre]

lots of good info in here. more than half our total visitors from from the midatlantic region with the southeast coming in second at 22%. convention center business makes ~12%, less than group business non convention (14%). the top two were commercial at 35% and individual leasure at 29% which should put to rest doubts about what is driving tourism...individual leisure.
sadly it doesn't delve into international tourism