Philadelphia Tourism Industry Dealing With Shutdown During Normally Busy Spring Break Season

Greg Argos reports.

CAPACITY AT CALL CENTERS WASEXPANDED TO HANDLE MORE OF THE200,000 CALLS RECEIVED EVERYDAY.FOR MANY STUDENTS AROUND THECOUNTRY, THIS WOULD HAVE BEENTHEIR SPRING BREAK, A TIME WHENPHILADELPHIA TOURISM DOLLARSPOUR INTO OUR ECONOMY BUT THISPANDEMIC HAS STOPPED NEARLY ALLTOURISM REVENUE.GREG ARGOS EXPLAINS PLANS ARE INPLACE TO BRING THIS INDUSTRYBACK TO LIFE.THIS IS USUALLY A TIME WHEREWE'RE GIVING IT UP TO THE CROWDSBUT OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR'S ALITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.Reporter: NOW OUR CITY'S12,535 ROOMS SIT EMPTY.OCCUPANCY RATES NORMALLY AROUND95% HAVE PLUMMETED.THEY'RE IN SINGLE DIGITS.Reporter: AND MORE THAN20,000 TOURISM WORKERS ARE ATHOME.MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE LAIDOFF.Reporter: ED GROSS IS THEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THEGREATER PHILADELPHIA HOTELASSOCIATION.IT'S A TOUGH TIME.Reporter: GRADUATIONSCANCELLED, WEDDINGS POSTPONEDAND LEISURE TRAVEL PRACTICALLYNONEXISTENT.BUT GROSS SAYS THERE IS ONENEIGHBORHOOD WHERE HOTELS ARESTILL BOOKING ROOMS.UNIVERSITY CITY HAS A LOT OFHEALTHCARE WORKERS STAYING INTHEIR HOTELS.I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC ON THECOMEBACK ONCE IT STARTS BUT WEHAVE TO GET TO THAT POINT.Reporter: AND ONCE WE RETURNTO WHATEVER NORMAL WILL BECOME.I THINK PHILADELPHIA WILLRECOVER QUICKLY.Reporter: JULIE COKER THEPHILADELPHIA CONVENTION ANDVISITOR'S BUREAU PRESIDENT ANDCEO IS HELPING PLAN THECOMEBACK.WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THATWE CAN IN THIS PERIOD TO MAKESURE THAT WE ARE SET UP FORFUTURE SUCCESS.THE EARLY 17 60S.Reporter: FAMOUS PHILLYLANDMARKS HAVE MADE TOURSAVAILABLE VIRTUALLY.ALSO PHILLY SCENTED BACKUPS YOUCAN DOWNLOAD FOR COMPANYMEETINGS, EVERYTHING FROM BEINGHIGH ABOVE CITY HALL NEXT TOBILLY PENN TO BEING SEEN FROMTHE LIBERTY BELL.WE'RE DOING THINGS LIKEKEEPING PHILADELPHIA TOP OFMIND.THE APPROPRIATE TIME WE WILLPIVOT TO WHAT WE REFER TO AS THEUNSTOPPABLE INGENUITY OFPHILADELPHIA..Reporter: THAT FINAL STEPWILL HELP RESCHEDULE CANCELLEDCONVENTIONS AND TARGET DOMESTICAND INTERNATIONAL LEISURETRAVELERS.IT'S NOT THE BEST OF TIMESRIGHT NOW BUT IT CERTAINLYDOESN'T DEFINE WHO WE ARE.Reporter: BOTH JULIE AND EDSAY THE FIRST STEP IN THISRECOVERY PROCESS HOWEVER ISHELPING OFF THOSE FURLOUGHED ORLAID OFF INDUSTRY WORKERS.THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA HOTELASSOCIATION HAS CREATED AWORKERS RELIEF FUND.IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP OUTWE'VE POSTED THE LINK ON OUR WEB