PHILADELPHIA, August 16, 2001 – Visitors from Paris to Pennsauken were on the riverbank yesterday, watching what few in Philadelphia’s 300-year history have ever seen – wakeboarding along the Schuylkill River. One hundred visitors were asked to rate their Philadelphia experience so far; they gave the city a 3.8 out of five, according to a survey conducted by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC). Visitors gave the X Games staff highest marks for their friendliness.

Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of GPTMC, explains the reason for the "Loves You Back" survey. "For four years, we’ve said that Philadelphia is the place that loves you back. Periodically, we need to be out on the streets making sure that claim is true."

Following are some interesting survey about who is attending the X Games events:

• Spectators rated the X Games staff the highest (43%), followed by police (14%) and retail staff (6%) when asked who in Philadelphia has "loved you back" the most,
• respondents ranged in age from five to 53 years,
• 64% of the respondents were from the region, 36% were visitors,
• 18% of the visitors were from New Jersey and New York; the rest were from various locations including Florida, Paris and Berlin,
• 44% of the respondents came with friends, 56% with family,
• 61% of residents replied that they plan to return for the 2002 X Games,

GPTMC will survey visitors, residents and athletes throughout the X Games.

"Loves You Back" survey results are available at www.gophila.com.

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating awareness of and visitation to Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. For more information about travel to Philadelphia visit www.gophila.com or call (888) GO-PHILA.

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Note to Editors: For photographic images of Philadelphia and its surrounding countryside, visit the photo gallery section of www.gophila.com/pressroom.

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