PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jeff Guaracino, the CEO of Visit Philadelphia and a longtime champion of the city's image and economic growth, died on Tuesday at his Philadelphia home. His Facebook page indicated cancer as the cause of death. He was 48.
Manny Stamatakis, chairman of the board of Visit Philadelphia, made the announcement on Wednesday.
"Jeff was a beloved family member, partner and friend, as well as a passionate leader, avid traveler, celebrated author, teacher, mentor and role model. His fun spirit and strong sense of self were with him until the end," he wrote.
"The Visit Philadelphia team is committed to carrying on the work that meant so much to Jeff — promoting the Philadelphia region as a must-visit travel destination."
Many in the marketing, hospitality, and tourism industries remember Guaracino as the heart and soul of Philadelphia. The marquees of The Fillmore and The Met, two performance spaces in Philadelphia, carried those words in tribute to him on Wednesday.
Among those who knew him best is James Cuorato, the president and CEO of the Independence Visitor Center. Cuorato worked with Guaracino and was a friend for about 20 years.
"He was just a constant promoter of the city and the region. And in many ways, he was a trailblazer. He had this tremendous ability to foresee trends before anyone else, and he was always looking three or four steps down the road. And I think that served the city well, and it certainly served the hospitality industry well," Cuorato said.
"For me, he was a true friend. And I mean those two words in a very literal sense. He always had my back. He always supported me personally and supported the Independence Visitor Center. And I would always thank him every time he did, and he would always say to me, 'I'll always have your back.' I will always cherish that memory of him saying to me, so many times, 'I'll always have your back.'"
Mayor Jim Kenney called Guaracino's death an enormous loss for the city and region.
"Jeff had a deep love of his family and colleagues, and he left an indelible mark on the place he was most passionate about — his beloved Philadelphia. A fierce champion and promoter of his hometown, Jeff was also a proud advocate for the LGBTQ community. With his trademark energy, charismatic charm, and never-ending wit, he helped make Philadelphia the welcoming city and destination that it proudly is today."
Guaracino had a long history with Visit Philadelphia, where he worked on many of their signature marketing campaigns, including "Philly’s More Fun When You Sleep Over," "With Love, Philadelphia XOXO," and "Philly Homegrown."
He started at the organization in 2001 as director, and later vice president, of communications and made a name for himself and the city with a groundbreaking tourism campaign "Philadelphia — Get Your History Straight And Your Nightlife Gay." In 2003, Philadelphia was the first tourist destination in the U.S. to produce a TV commercial directly targeting LGBTQ travelers.
In 2012, Guaracino moved on to promote Atlantic City as a tourism destination at the Atlantic City Alliance and later became executive director of the organization. He led their recovery strategy through Superstorm Sandy, and the successful "DO AC" campaign, which drove travel to the Shore town and helped establish new sources of revenue as the city's gaming industry took a downturn.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney lured Guaracino back in 2016 with an offer to lead Welcome America, Inc., the nonprofit responsible for producing the city's signature Fourth of July celebration. As president and CEO, he rebranded the organization and expanded its mission to produce citywide events all year, secured new partnerships, and improved attendance.
Guaracino was a dynamic and lifelong booster for the city. As a native Philadelphian, his work was deeply personal as well as professional.
He rejoined Visit Philadelphia in 2018 as president and CEO.
"The work at Visit Philadelphia doesn’t just bring visitors to our region, it helps make Philadelphia a more vital and better place to live and do business," he said at the time.
"We might take our great city for granted because we live here. But it's just a privilege to continue to tell our story to people who want to come and be here with us for a few days or a week."
Guaracino is the author of two books, which Stamatakis called "industry firsts": "Gay and Lesbian Tourism: The Essential Guide for Marketing" (Elsevier, 2007) and "Handbook of LGBT Tourism and Hospitality: A Guide for Business Practice" (Harrington Park Press/Columbia University Press, 2017).