X GAMES: GOOD FOR IMAGE, GOOD FOR BUSINESS
Day Three: "Loves You Back" Visitor Poll

PHILADELPHIA, August 20, 2001 – The X Games are good business for Philadelphia. In a survey of 250 X Games spectators, just under half of the out-of-towners polled are staying in hotels, and slightly more than half plan to do other tourist activities while in town. For area residents, the X Games are an image boost for Philadelphia, drawing crowds who rarely come into the city. The survey was conducted by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC).

Visitors and residents surveyed to date have rated Philadelphia a 4.4 out of 5. This is up from a 3.8 rating on the first two days of the X Games, when most of those polled were locals. "To know us is to love us. People are expecting great things from Philadelphia, but even still, they are surprised at the great buzz in town once they get here," says Meryl Levitz, President and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

Local youth know that Philadelphia has historic importance. But as host city for the X Games, Philadelphia is now "awesome," "modern" and "cool" to the under 20 set. Adults think so, too. Repeatedly, local interviewees said hosting the games was a "great move" for the city, "bringing attention to everything we have to offer." The city won a gold medal from a 45-year-old, New Jersey woman who said, "everyone was friendly and willing to help. I was also impressed with the clean, fast subway and with how safe, clean and populated the city is."

Following are some interesting survey findings about who is attending the X Games, based on a survey of 250 spectators:

• 60% of respondents are from the area; 40% are from out-of-town
• 44% of out-of-towners are staying in hotels
• 18% of out-of-towners are staying with friends or family
• 2,010 X Games hotel packages have been sold
• 56% of out-of-towners plan to do tourist activities before or after the
  X Games
• 17% of locals plan to do tourist activities before or after the X Games
• 92% of locals are from someplace other than Center City
• 29% of locals come into the city less than once per month
• 68% of respondents are at the X Games with family; 35% with friends

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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