When people think of Philadelphia, many think of the Liberty Bell, the Founding Fathers, cheesesteaks or maybe a movie with the same name starring Tom Hanks.
To Gregg Caren, the City of Brotherly Love is so much more. Philadelphia has a population of more than 1.5 million people and many prominent companies maintain a significant presence within it.
“We are in a history-making city that continues to make history.”
While not located in the country’s center geographically, the metropolis lies right in the middle of the densely populated north-east corridor of the United States, one of the most populous regions in the country. This makes Philadelphia a prime destination for tourists and businesspeople alike, who come to visit some of America’s top cultural and entertainment venues.
It is Caren’s job to make sure the world sees Philadelphia like he does. As President and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, he is on a mission to make the city top of mind for event planners, tourists and business travelers worldwide.
“I take our role very seriously,” he says. “Our mission is to create positive economic impact across not just our city, but also the greater Philadelphia region.”
The city of firsts
The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau named Caren its new leader in May 2020, just as the industry he serves shut down with the rest of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even as people began to emerge from the other side of the crisis, the hospitality, travel and tourism industries were slow to rebound, making Caren’s job a challenge right from the start. Nevertheless, such a difficult beginning provided him with motivation and inspiration.
“The concern for our city and its 80,000 hospitality and tourism workers drove me that much more to want to help, to be a part of rebuilding the city and our tourism industry,” he says.
“This was my opportunity to give back to the city I love, at its most critical crossroads. And I think it’s been the best job I’ve ever had.”
Caren stepped into the role with over 35 years in the industry and the belief that Philadelphia had much to offer the world. He believes the city has more firsts in the future, given its long history of firsts: the city hosted the Constitutional Convention, became the first capital of the United States, was the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and is home to the nation’s first library, as well as one of the oldest hospitals and historically Black colleges and universities.
“We are in a history-making city that continues to make history,” he says, noting his Convention Bureau was the first in the country to establish a business development division devoted to building connections between business events and diverse local suppliers, as well as the first to create a program that focuses exclusively on life sciences meetings.
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Caren and the Bureau build greater awareness of Philadelphia as a top destination through a global network of partnerships and connections. For example, he explains the team has agents in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Germany and Australia, to name a few of the many countries where it promotes tourism to Philadelphia.
Its collaboration at a local level is also vital to the success of conventions and other events in the city. Caren says that his team collaborates with more than 700 businesses, from hotels to restaurants and convention service providers.
Significant anniversaries
These strong relationships are set to continue, Caren says, with the team going into 2025 with a lot of momentum. The city has booked a record number of hotel nights in 2024, plus his team is already working on events through 2039 and is excited about 2026, which will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Moreover, the city will host two closely watched events: the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
“There are so many people who come here for one reason or another – for a convention, vacation or college. And for whatever reason that they connect, they fall in love with the city and return time and time again,” he explains.
“Our mission is to create positive economic impact across not just our city but the greater Philadelphia region.”
Caren has lived in Philadelphia for more than 30 years, making it easy for him to promote the city worldwide. However, he believes the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau’s mission and impact extend well beyond civic pride. In addition to the thousands of people the industry employs, tourism generates billions in revenue for local businesses and helps fund city services such as schools and infrastructure projects.
He also points out that the city’s tourism benefits residents, with enhanced public spaces, parks and attractions, along with a bolstered global reputation that attracts new citizens.
To Caren, the Bureau’s mission embodies what the city’s Founder, William Penn, intended when he named the town ‘Philadelphia’, the ancient Greek word for ‘city of brotherly love’.
“He was very intentional about what he thought the spirit and the heart of this city should be,” he reflects. “And we have been true to that mission since 1682.”
