Spotlight On: Ed Grose, Executive Director, Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association
May 2024 — Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, spoke with Invest: about the health of Philadelphia’s hospitality industry, its economic impact and the opportunities coming to the market in the next three years. “Philadelphia is an absolutely amazing destination for someone who is looking to visit, companies that are looking to relocate and individuals who are looking for a new place to live,” he said.
What is the state of Philadelphia’s hotel industry?
Hotels are still recovering from the pandemic, with most key metrics either fully recovered or within close touching distance of our benchmarks from 2019. Our hotel revenues are up, much of which is due to inflation, but overall we are getting better and better each year. Hotel performance is based on three key segments: group, leisure and business. Our leisure market led the way out of the pandemic, and behind this was the return of group travel. The only one that is not fully recovered is the business segment. However, as more people return to the office, we are starting to see business travel pick back up. We are projecting to be fully back at 2019 levels by the end of 2024.
What opportunities exist for the hotel industry in Philadelphia?
As far as assets go, we have so much to offer visitors. Whether it be one of our many museums, cultural institutions or the restaurant scene, there is no shortage of things to do. The Pennsylvania Convention Center, located in the heart of the city, is another great asset, especially when considering that our city is so walkable. In fact, the Wall Street Journal recently ranked our convention center as the most walkable in the U.S. When you host a convention in Philadelphia, attendees will most likely be able to walk from their hotel to their convention, all while experiencing our vibrant Center City.
How are you addressing membership priorities and concerns?
Right now, our members are focused on building back their teams. Currently, we have a number of job opportunities available in our hotels, with about 10% of positions open. This year, we plan on hosting different events that will help hotels connect with local workers and hire Philadelphians. We want to provide opportunities for residents to learn more about careers in hotels that can provide a livable wage for their families.
What does being an association of the future look like?
We are adapting and evolving all the time; as an association we need to react to the needs of our members. The Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association is the advocate for Philadelphia’s hotel industry, and we evolve based on our members’ needs. Obviously, those needs changed greatly during the pandemic, and now they are more about recovery. We are very excited about our new mayor, Cherelle Parker, and are confident that we are able to offer our guests the experiences they are looking for when they come to Philadelphia–our historical attractions, museums and cultural institutions, the restaurant scene and so much more. We partner closely with Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau to help position Philadelphia, both nationally and internationally, as a top U.S. destination.
Advocacy is another huge piece of what we do. Philadelphia has a new mayor, but also many new members of the city council. We need to educate all our elected officials on the importance of our industry, the jobs it creates for Philadelphia residents and the economic impact tourism has on not only the city of Philadelphia, but the entire region. The hospitality industry is big business. We are an economic engine for the city, and the tax revenue and jobs we create are critical to our city growing and developing economically.
What priorities are you focusing on in the next two to three years?
We are so excited about the next few years. In 2026, Philadelphia is hosting FIFA World Cup matches, Major League Baseball’s All-Star game, a number of top-tier meetings and conventions and we’ll be celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country. There are so many reasons for people to come to Philadelphia in 2026 to experience our city, its role in American history and its cultural relevance.
As we look to the future, we are aiming to fully recover from the impact of the pandemic by the end of 2024 and we are laser focused on being proactive and investigating how we can continue to grow to be even stronger in a post-pandemic world. Philadelphia is an absolutely amazing destination for travelers looking to have an authentic American experience, companies looking to relocate, and individuals looking for a new place to live. Philadelphia is the place.
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