According to a Visit Philly report, more than 45 million tourists visited the city last year, and tourism had a $12.2 billion impact on the city.
And experts say before the pandemic, all signs in the forecast were pointing in a positive direction.
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But with COVID-19, the city’s tourism industry has been devastated, said Julie Coker with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“We have tracked more than 250 lost pieces of business, and that includes meetings, conventions, and sporting events, and that represents about $230 million in lost economic impact,” she explained.
Coker said they are remaining optimistic about the future of tourism in the city, and with this week being National Travel and Tourism Week, they are working with several of the city's museums to give virtual tours.
They even have a Philly centric music playlist and a tutorial on how to make a proper cheesesteak on their website.
“By us sharing Philadelphia virtually, we are continuing to remind the world how important travel is, and that we will rebound,” she said.