Philadelphia is gearing up for a busy Fourth of July weekend in America’s birthplace — welcome news as the region’s tourism industry momentum builds and recovery continues in the wake of COVID-19. VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is promoting the long weekend as part of its $2.5 million “Pack Light. Plan Big. For Philly.” summer marketing campaign, an integrated effort that focuses on the ease of visiting Philadelphia and aims to drive day and overnight leisure visitation.
“The Fourth of July is one of the best times to experience Philadelphia, the birthplace of our country, and we’re excited that people can enjoy the specialness of our Independence Day festivities once again this year,” said Jeff Guaracino, president & CEO, VISIT PHILADELPHIA. “With COVID-19 restrictions lifted and people eager to travel again, we’ve been using our $2.5 million Pack Light. Plan Big. For Philly. campaign to encourage people to choose Philadelphia for a fun and easy getaway. We’ll continue that push all weekend long and all summer long as we vie for travelers in the most competitive marketplace we have ever seen.”
Here’s a look at how hotels should fair over the weekend, as well as industry performance year-to-date:
Center City Hotel Strong Weekend Outlook:
- Hotels in Philadelphia’s Historic District are projecting a very strong weekend (Friday through Sunday). Some hotels will sell out, and hotels within walking distance of the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall are already at 90% occupancy for the weekend.
- Based on current hotel bookings, it’s expected that Center City hotels will reach 70-75% occupancy over the Fourth of July weekend, with approximately 7,000-7,500 leisure room nights per night.
- The national championships for USA Fencing will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from July 3-12, 2021. The event is expected to draw 5,000 participants, family and friends, and Convention Center hotels will see about 1,500 room nights per day.
Tourism & Hospitality Performance Year-To-Date:
The latest data shows that Philadelphia’s regional hospitality industry is rebounding quicker than the 2021 forecast predicted. Reports from Tourism Economics and other data sources, which include ongoing preliminary data through May 2021, show that:
- The Philadelphia metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is recovering faster than the Northeast competitive set, which includes New York City, Washington, DC, Baltimore and Boston.
- Hotel occupancy on Friday and Saturdays in Philadelphia County is outpacing expectations. Weekend trends show that in June, Friday and Saturday night hotel occupancy reached between 65-75% — higher than Memorial Day.
- Leisure travel is outpacing forecasts by 53% in Center City and is driving recovery for the region, according to ongoing tracking by Tourism Economics.
- Hotel Average Daily Rate (ADR) is outperforming forecasts in the city and region. Hotel ADR appears to be holding in May and June — a good sign for hotel recovery.
- Inbound airline bookings to Philadelphia International Airport are outpacing New York City, Washington, DC and Baltimore.
“Philadelphia’s travel recovery continued in May as warmer weather, improved vaccine coverage and the easing of pandemic-related restrictions facilitated the return of domestic travel,” said Adam Saks, president, Tourism Economics. “We’re seeing better travel conditions, hotel occupancy levels improved for the fifth consecutive month and year-to-date Center City hotel occupancy pacing six points higher than the forecast due to leisure travel continuing to outperform projections, along with some unexpected group and event activity.”
VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.
On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call the Independence Visitor Center for additional information.
599 Market Street, (800) 537-7676
Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos and high-definition B-roll of Greater Philadelphia, visit the Photos & Video section of visitphilly.com/mediacenter.