New Delhi, India – September 29, 2016 – The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), together with 47 delegates from 37 other U.S. tourism organizations, participated in the 5th Annual Brand USA India Mission across three major metro cities of Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi.
During the mission, staff from PHLCVB updated the travel trade and media on new hotel and attraction openings, and shared all Philadelphia has to offer within its compact, walkable, safe and clean downtown.
Awarded the first World Heritage City designation in the U.S. in November 2015, Philadelphia is the birthplace of America and home to iconic historic attractions such as Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross House and Carpenters’ Hall. Also known for vibrant street life with world-class restaurants, outdoor life and tax-free shopping, Philadelphia offers a budget-friendly metropolitan experience for all travelers.
Additionally, the Philadelphia region has the second-largest number of colleges in the nation. Within 100 kilometers, more than 100 colleges and universities are located in a variety of urban and suburban settings, including the Ivy-League University of Pennsylvania, home to the renowned Wharton School of Business.
India continues to be a key market for Philadelphia, which welcomed more than 25,000 travelers from India in 2015, making it one of the city’s top ten markets for overseas visitors according to data released by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Travel and Tourism Office (http://travel.trade.gov).
In January this year, the PHLCVB launched the Philadelphia Specialist Badge, a bespoke training module for travel agents as part of Brand USA’s Discovery Program in India. The program allows travel agents to learn everything they need to know about Philadelphia, including information on the city’s dining, accommodation, excellent tax-free shopping, and unique attractions. To be a Philadelphia specialist, go to www.usadiscoveryprogram.in.
“Philadelphia has a lot to offer the value-conscious and the culturally inclined Indian traveler visiting the U.S. and savvy travelers are beginning to combine multiple cities in the northeast region to maximize their experience,” said Julie Coker Graham, president & CEO, PHLCVB. “We continuously engage with the Indian travel trade to make Philadelphia a destination of choice for their travelers, as our central location between New York City and Washington, DC, makes Philadelphia easy to get to and affordable, plus we offer so much to see and do.”
About Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), www.discoverPHL.com, a private non-profit membership corporation, is the official Tourism Promotion Agency for the City of Philadelphia globally, and the primary sales and marketing agency for the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center. The PHLCVB competes with its counterparts worldwide for convention and tourism business. The organization has divisions dedicated to the multicultural, sports, and life sciences markets.