If you're ever on the road traveling and you mention that you hail from Philadelphia, the response is almost always “What a fun to visit and a great place to live.” The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) Philly 360 campaign coninues to herald the beauty of the region with it's fourth annual selection of its Creative Ambassadors.
On Thursday, 18 new regionally-based Creative Ambassadors known nationally and internationally where announced in the effort to encouraging more people to visit the Delaware Valley.
“People have asked me what’s the criteria for being an ambassador,” eplained Patricia Washington, vice president of cultural tourism at GPTMC. “Well, they are known nationally for their work; they are committed to Philly in their business pursuits and community endeavors, and they’ve stepped up and said ‘Yes!’ to working with GPTMC to use their influence and social networks to help us build positive buzz about Philly and encourage more and more people to come and visit. In the next year a theme for us is going to be ‘next gen’ — that is tying together Philadelphia’s next generation of taste makers and artists with Philadelphia’s legacy influencers. In other word, where Philly’s been to where it is to where it is going: a 360 story.”
The ultra modern Tendeza reception hall in Northern Liberties served as the site to highlight these trendsetters and their supporters. The 2012 Ambassadors are: Philadelphia Eagles Nnamdi Asomugha; WRNB’s Dyana R. Williams, Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Andre Harris; Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Vidal Davis — Grammy®-winning producer and songwriter; Grammy-nominated Curt Chambers; Ms. Tootsie’s Keven Parker; fashion designer Kristin Haskins Simms; Power99’s DJ Diamond Kuts; Producer Andrew “Pop” Wansel; R&B/pop recording artist Cody Wise; classical singer Veronica Chapman-Smith; BET’s Vikter Duplaix; Media entrepreneur Brandon Pankey; Blues Babe Foundation’s Aisha Winfield; photographer Whitney Thomas; artist Serena Saunders and music business entrepreneurs Mike McArther and Jerome Hipps. Since 2009, 33 others have been named Creative Ambassadors.
“You folk join, of course, a tremendous list of past ambassadors, including Philly’s own DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Roots, Marsha Ambrosius, Carvin (Haggins) and Ivan (Barias),” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “So through Philly 360, and their work with GPTMC, we have a new generation of travelers through this ever shrinking world through social and traditional media generating positive stories. There are positive things going on in this city ... and people doing good things and making a positive impact and doing the right thing each and every day. You make this city the vibrant place that it is; you make folk literally want to move here and stay here, which is why our population grew for the first time in 60 years according to the 2010 Census — we are on the move!”
For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit visitphilly.com or uwishunu.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia at (800) 537-7676.
Contact Tribune Staff Writer Bobbi Booker at (215) 893-5749 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
