Schedule   Home Sponsors: Contributors: PRSSA links:		Back to Schedule Explore the Unknown: Let Travel and Tourism PR Lead You to Your Destination Meryl Levitz President and CEO Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Company As president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), Meryl Levitz is responsible for expanding Philadelphia’s regional tourism, worth $6.8 billion in direct visitor spending and accounting for more than 177,000 regional jobs. Under Levitz’s leadership, the number of overnight leisure visitors has risen 63% between 1997 (when GPTMC began its first ad campaign) and 2006. For Levitz, the key to building the economic engine of tourism is partnership – increasing visitor spending by bringing together groups with similar interests to develop promotional programs to reach high-yield markets. Partnerships with the hospitality community, arts and cultural institutions, restaurants and county visitor bureaus have proven to be vital to the success of the regional tourism industry. GPTMC implements integrated marketing strategies to build image and visitation, using research; advertising in television, print, radio, outdoor and the Internet; and public relations in all media categories. Levitz is active on the boards of the Travel Industry Association of America, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Independence Visitor Center, Governor’s Pennsylvania Travel and Tourism Partnership and Historic Philadelphia, Inc. After receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Illinois, Levitz began her career as an educator but soon began promoting Philadelphia, first as co-founder of the Center City Proprietors Association in 1978 and later at the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, where she rose to Vice President of Tourism. There, she presided over new and innovative celebrations to draw crowds to the city, as well as the opening of the Pennsylvania Convention Center.