VisitPITTSBURGH Outlines Road to Recovery at 2021 Annual Meeting
New Marketing Campaign Also Unveiled at Hybrid Event
PITTSBURGH - VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO Jerad Bachar outlined the organization’s Road to Recovery at the 84th VisitPITTSBURGH Annual Meeting, held this morning in a hybrid format at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC). County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who was one of the speakers, and Mayor William Peduto, who joined via taped message, both expressed their support for the industry’s recovery efforts.
The in-person attendance was limited to 50, but another 200+ attended virtually.
Also this morning, VisitPITTSBURGH unveiled its newest marketing campaign, Only in Pittsburgh. The campaign is built to specifically differentiate the city from other destinations by highlighting unique attractions, amenities, restaurants, breweries and more that visitors can only see and do in Pittsburgh.
“It was so great to gather again with members of our community and to say, out loud, that Pittsburgh is open for business,” Bachar said. “Following such a difficult year for our industry, we felt it was important to demonstrate the recovery already in motion locally, as well as look ahead at VisitPITTSBURGH’s business, sports and leisure tourism efforts.
“Ultimately, we are seeing a rise in traveler sentiment. In fact, according to a recent Destination Analysts American Traveler Sentiment Study, Americans are feeling more comfortable with traveling than they have at any point in the last 14 months. More than 75 percent of American travelers will take at least one trip in the next 90 days. VisitPITTSBURGH looks to capture this positive sentiment and help Pittsburgh stand out among its competitors with our Only in Pittsburgh campaign.”
Meeting highlights included four videos from VisitPITTSBURGH partners:
- Brian Eaton, Co-Founder, Grist House Craft Brewery
- William Marshall, Founder, Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth Celebration and Black Music Festival
- Lakisha Miller-Barclay, Executive Director & CEO, Rubber Division
- John Tate, Executive Director, Western PA Bruins
Each partner noted the benefits to hosting an event or owning a business in Pittsburgh.
Looking ahead, both of VisitPITTSBURGH’s divisions – SportsPITTSBURGH and MeetPITTSBURGH – will continue to differentiate Pittsburgh as a premier destination for sports and business events.
SportsPITTSBURGH aims to build off the recent success of hosting three sports events in April – NCAA DI Men’s Frozen Four, Western PA Bruins Spring Tip-Off and Hoop Group Pittsburgh Jam Fest – as well as winning the 2023 National Senior Games bid, which will bring an estimated 30,000 attendees to Allegheny County in two years.
In addition to seeking new business for 2021 and beyond, the MeetPITTSBURGH team will engage with local influencers either headquartered in the region or holding a strong regional presence to host business events in Allegheny County.
The ability to grow the tourism economy depends on the rapid growth of travel. Through the Only in Pittsburgh campaign, VisitPITTSBURGH’s Leisure Tourism vertical will showcase the many reasons why Pittsburgh should be at the top of any travel must-see list.
Additionally, VisitPITTSBURGH Chairman Timothy Q. Hudak, Esq., noted that VisitPITTSBURGH again reported a clean audit. A complete financial overview is available in the VisitPITTSBURGH 2020 Annual Report.