Councilmember Rue Landau, the first openly gay person elected to City Council, said the center builds on previous tourism outreach like the “Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay” campaign. Developed by the late Visit Philadelphia President Jeff Guaracino, the initial 2004 ads were some of the first from a U.S. destination explicitly aimed at LGBTQ+ travelers. The visitor center, Landau said, sends a similar message.
“Philadelphia is an open place,” she continued. “It’s a welcoming place. We want you to come and visit. You’re gonna have a great time. And if you guys are like me, I recruit. These folks aren’t just gonna be tourists, but they are going to end up being Philadelphians and Pennsylvanians.”
Recent census data suggests the LGBTQ+ community has roughly $1.4 trillion in annual spending power in the United States. Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Visitor Center, the operators of the new information hub, are hoping to bring more of these consumers to the city during its busy 2026.
The Philly Pride Visitor Center will be open Thursdays through Mondays from noon-6 p.m. It is currently recruiting volunteers and businesses to advertise their LGBTQ-friendly events.
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the center’s business hours. It has been updated.
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