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Three business divisions at the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau are working to provide exceptional events for groups meeting in the city. (Elevated Angles)
What convention destination has one of the world’s best hotels, one of the best restaurants and one of the best riverwalks? Philadelphia. However, the front-page accolades for the city aren’t the only reason to put Philadelphia on your consideration list. The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau’s three business divisions are doing behind-the-scenes work that transform ordinary events into extraordinary experiences.
PHL Sports: A Winning Formula
When it comes to standing out as a sports destination, Philadelphia is carrying the championship trophy. From hosting WWE’s week-long WrestleMania celebration in April of 2024 to winning a bid to be a host city for the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Philadelphia is a top spot for sports lovers.
The Philadelphia CVB’s sports division can connect organizers with a venue for every kind of competition. From the 43,000-seat Citizens Bank Park — home for the Phillies and the site of the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game — to the 2,500-seat Daskalakis Athletic Center at Drexel University, the portfolio of venues hosts approximately 380 events each year, attracting 8 million visitors. Philadelphia is about more than legacy sporting events, too: Localhost, a dedicated esports arena, features 122 PC stations and 20 console stations that position the city at the forefront of the gaming industry.
Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania leads the world in immunotherapy research with the first gene therapy approved by the FDA, CAR-T Cell Therapy.
PHL Life Sciences: A Hub of Innovation
It’s not just about the big names that exist here, either. Philadelphia earned a spot on Startup Genome’s list of the top cities in the world for startups, and the city continues to invest in innovation with new spaces to inspire cutting-edge advancements. So, if intellectual capital is at the top of your priority list, you can count on Philadelphia delivering.
PHL Diversity: A Welcoming Spirit
The calendar of meetings and events in Philadelphia covers every corner of the industry. While association annual meetings, corporate trainings, and NCAA championships have unique needs and objectives, they all share one commonality: The need for every participant to feel comfortable. The Philadelphia CVB has been one of the pioneers of putting belonging at the center of everything they do.
Now, PHL Diversity is leveling up its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts with its new executive director, Sheila Alexander-Reid. As the former executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Affairs in Washington, D.C., she helped implement discrimination protections and D&I policies that supported the city’s LGBTQ residents. Alexander-Reid’s addition to the team will undoubtedly elevate an already friendly meeting and event environment to make Philadelphia a place where every attendee feels right at home as soon as they arrive.
Learn more and connect with one of the Philadelphia CVB’s divisions to help plan your next event at discoverphl.com. And if you have your sights set on 2025, now is the time to book. The city has a generous incentive program, but you’ll need to act fast to take advantage of the potential savings.
