Philly ought to capitalize on status as World Heritage city, Kenney says

Philadelphia marked World Heritage Day Thursday as officials celebrated its status at the first U.S. city to be designated as a World Heritage city.

Mayor Jim Kenney and a diverse group of children gathered at City Hall to hoist the World Heritage flag.  The designation, awarded in November, will help bring more international tourists to town, he said.

“Now that we have it, we have to use it,” said the mayor. “This is something we have in perpetuity, but now is the time that we have to capitalize on it.”

Jim Cuorato of the Independence Visitors Center said the honor already has brought about an increase in foreign travelers.

“A lot of international tourists have lists of world heritage cities, and it’s almost like a bucket list kind of thing that they want to visit world heritage cities because that designation is so important,” he said.

Philadelphia’s tourism marketing plans are all trying to capitalize on the World Heritage designation.