PHLCVB launches first-of-its-kind Philly tourism site hosted in China

In an effort to market Philadelphia globally, the Philadelphia Convention Center and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) launched a Philly tourism site hosted in China. Fully translated into Chinese and accessible because it’s hosted in-country rather than by the U.S., it’s the first U.S. tourism site of its kind, PHLCVB said.

Visit the Chinese site here.

PHLCVB also recently launched a new DiscoverPHL website that’s translatable into four languages and an updated mobile app. The new site stresses the “PHL” branding campaign that PHLCVB launched last fall.

Download the visitors’ guide app here. Visit the DiscoverPHL site here.

The new site, built by Kansas City-based firm MMGY Global, includes the following features, as described by PHLCVB’s press release:

• Listings for non-PHLCVB members: New for local business owners is the ability to create a business listing even if not a PHLCVB member, providing access to new potential customers.

• Member-generated Events and Deals: PHLCVB members can now add searchable events and deals, increasing their exposure and driving traffic.

• Meeting and Convention Resources: A meeting section with tons of tools for meeting planners preparing events at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, hotels and other venues.

• Booking Engine: New hotel booking engine powered by Booking.com, the world’s leading online hotel reservation agency by room nights sold. The booking engine was chosen because of its global reach and availability to consumers in 41 languages and currencies.

• Maps and Itineraries: Plot an itinerary, search for hotels by categories, view restaurants in particular neighborhoods and more, via a new interactive map.

• Favorites: Create an account and map Favorites – restaurants, attractions, hotels etc., which can be saved and accessed at a later date, including from a mobile device.

The outward reach comes at a time when the Convention Center’s outlook for the future is looking rather grim around continued labor concerns. Also, you’ll note that the acronym has shifted in branding from PCVB to PHLCVB, part of the branding campaign spearheaded by Danielle Cohn.