In Valley Forge country, they've compiled a guide to more than three dozen glamorous gardens across the region that are open to the public and bursting with blooms. They are among the many who are part of the massive effort to energize the regional economy by turning Philadelphia into a destination for visitors, a place where people stay overnight in hotels, form a favorable impression, and return to their homes as fans of the area. It's an effort that this spring is running at the most frenetic pace anyone can remember - a pace so frenzied that some tourism promoters worry the message could be lost amid all the action. The region's sights, sounds and smells are being advertised widely, on TV in the New York City area and in classy magazines across the country. The Place That Loves You Back'' advertisements.
Plans are under way for numerous major capital investments in the tourism business.
They include the Penn's Landing entertainment center, a rejuvenated Independence Mall, the Avenue of the Arts and Regional Performing Arts Center, new Center City hotels, facilities to serve a growing number of flights at Philadelphia International Airport, and a new cruise-ship terminal at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. There are more good ideas, coming from more enthusiastic people, working for more organizations promoting tourism in the region than ever before, people involved in the effort say. The hunt for information can be confusing, some people say. Advertisements designed to lure tourists to Philadelphia, Bucks County, the Brandywine Valley, and Valley Forge are appearing on different pages of the same issue of some magazines this summer, for example, because the various tourism bureaus are not sharing ad-buying schedules. There's no clearinghouse for visitors to write or call for information.