PHILADELPHIA’S OFFICIAL WEB SITE, GOPHILA.COM,
PROVES THAT PHILLY’S MORE FUN

PHILADELPHIA, August 15, 2002 – School is out, the kids are home and five million people are expected to visit their Philly friends and relatives this year, but what’s there to do? Gophila.com, the Philadelphia region’s official Web site, is the area’s most comprehensive source for free information about the region’s historical sites and attractions, museums, tours, shops, restaurants and late night fun. Residents can even book a hotel room for their visiting friends or family directly through the site.

Created by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), gophila.com has logged more than 1.6 million unique visits in the first six months of 2002 alone. On the site, visitors can:

• Download a vacation guide, seasonal calendar of events or specialized tours of the city and countryside, which are perfect to show visiting friends and family around town.
• Check room availability, find special deals like the "Philly Triple Night Hotel Package" (stay two nights and get the third consecutive night free at more than 40 hotels), and book a hotel room.
• Subscribe to a monthly e-newsletter, GoPhila, filled with general news and information about the region or to newsletters focused on special topics: Family Friendly, Festivals & Events, Dining & Nightlife, Arts & Culture or Accommodations & Hotel Packages.
• Send an electronic postcard to a friend or relative from The Place That Loves You Back.
• Download a screensaver of a magnificent Philadelphia image.

The 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 gophila.com or call the new Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

The Delaware River Port Authority is the sponsor and underwriter of the regional component of the Philly Friends and Family campaign.

Note to Editors: For story angles and photographic images of Philadelphia and its surrounding countryside, visit www.gophila.com/pressroom.