Day Two: "Loves You Back" Visitor Poll

PHILADELPHIA, August 17, 2001 – The X Games officially opened at the First Union Center this morning. Already, 90% of visitors in attendance say they want to come back to Philadelphia, and 80% want to come back for next year’s X Games. For much of the crowd, this means returning to a city they’ve never visited before today, according to a survey conducted at the X Games by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC). The "Loves You Back" visitor poll is aimed at learning what impression Philadelphia makes on visitors.

Of the 150 people surveyed so far, visitors have rated their Philadelphia experience 4.1 on a scale of one to five and residents have given their hometown an even 4. Philadelphia has "great character," said a visitor from London. A Tokyo guest was impressed with how clean the city is. Following are some interesting survey findings about who is attending the X Games:

• 42% of the spectators were from outside of the region, 58% were from the eight-county area
• 35% of out-of-towners were visiting Philadelphia for the first time
• 90% of out-of-towners said they would visit Philadelphia again

• 65% of out-of-towners planned to sightsee in Philadelphia. Top attractions:
• Liberty Bell or Independence Hall (16%)
• South Street (10%)
• Franklin Institute (8%)

• 10% of residents have been to the X Games before, 21% of out-of-towners have been to the X Games before
• Spectators rated the X Games staff the highest (40%), followed by SEPTA workers and other bus and taxi drivers (28%), and then hotel staff (14%) when asked who in Philadelphia has "loved you back" the most.

"Loves You Back" surveyors will interview 50 X Games spectators a day through August 20. Survey results are available at www.gophila.com. The X Games run through August 22 at the First Union Complex. The games are expected to draw a crowd of 250,000.

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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