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Also naming South 13th Street, between Spruce and Locust Streets, as "Jeff Guaracino Way" for his lifelong commitment to Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.
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WHEREAS, Jeff Guaracino has a 20-year track record of success in tourism and organizational management with expertise in growth, change and collaboration. As president and CEO of VISIT PHILADELPHIA(r), Guaracino was charged with building Greater Philadelphia's image, driving visitation and boosting the economy through day and overnight leisure visitations. In 2020, leisure visitation to the five-county region (comprised of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties) made up 94% of all tourism; and
WHEREAS, Guaracino consistently forged creative and innovative partnerships with organizations such as the James Beard Foundation, Live Nation, Comcast/NBCUniversal and the City of Philadelphia. He also had significant crisis-management experience, which guided his work to rebuild the hospitality and tourism sector with a cross-functional team of municipal, regional and state leaders in the wake of COVID-19. In 2020, 30 million people visited Greater Philadelphia, creating $6.81 billion in economic impact; and
WHEREAS, Under Guaracino's leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, VISIT PHILADELPHIA continued to fulfill its mission through omni-channel marketing efforts. Highlights include Philly Live Weekends, a Facebook-based collaboration with NBC10; Love + Grit, a podcast focused on authentic and diverse Philadelphia stories; a Black- and Brown-owned business initiative that culminated in City Council's Shop Black Business Friday declaration; and two marketing campaigns for various stages of the pandemic: Our Turn to Tourist, which drove regional spending at the height of the lockdown, and Pack Light. Plan Big. For Philly., which highlights the ease, accessibility and wonder of the reopened region. Thanks, in part, to this work, Philadelphia outpaced 2021 hotel forecasts by 4...
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