Skift Travel News Blog

The Philadelphia Phillies came up short in the World Series this month against the Houston Astros, but the city’s tourism industry emerged as a big winner from the team’s unexpected postseason success.

Philadelphia attracted 34,000 overnight visitors during the Phillies’ three-week playoff run, representing 35,000 hotel room nights, according to data provider Tourism Economics. The average hotel occupancy rate in Center City Philadelphia hit 90 percent during the World Series, a number the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association said is a 20 percentage point increase from its usual figure in late October and early November.

“This was a big win for Philadelphia and its tourism and hospitality sector, especially the city’s restaurants, staff, and their staff who were positively impacted by the Phillies postseason run,” said Larry Needle, executive director of PHL Sports, a business development arm of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The organization announced on Thursday that the eight playoff games the Phillies hosted this postseason at Citizens Bank Park injected $78 million into Philadelphia’s economy, including $49 million in direct spend in the city.

Visit Philadelphia has announced it’s appointed Angela Val to serve as its president and CEO, making her the first Black woman ever to run the organization.

Val, who will start her new roles on June 27, has extensive experience in Philadelphia’s tourism and hospitality industry. She is making her return to Visit Philadelphia, where she worked for 17 years before leaving to become chief administrative officer at the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, a position she held for four years. Val is the current chief operating officer at Tempest, a marketing agency that helps destination marketing organizations work with local communities.

She also recently concluded her role as the executive director of Ready. Set. Philly!, an initiative between the City of Philadelphia and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia that was launched to spark the city’s economic recovery from the pandemic.  

“I am thrilled to return to Visit Philadelphia as president and CEO, so I can give back to a city and organization that has given me so much,” Val said in a statement.

“As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, I look forward to working with our partners to build back the tourism industry, reinvigorate the economy and restore the vibrancy of Philadelphia, which is so essential to attracting leisure travelers.”

Val will succeed Jeff Guaracino, who passed away last December following a battle with cancer.