PA’s Tourism Chief Is Playing the Long Game on Philly’s World Cup MomentPA’s Tourism Chief Is Playing the Long Game on Philly’s World Cup Moment

Q&A

Welcome back to Masters of Ceremonies, where, in the lead-up to Philly’s biggest summer ever, I’ll be talking to some of the people behind the scenes making it all happen. From America’s 250th to the World Cup and beyond, you’ll get to know a little bit more about the folks working to bring Philly to the world — and bring the world to Philly.

Today: Anne Ryan, Pennsylvania’s deputy secretary of tourism

Ryan’s work sits at the intersection of marketing, economic development, and event strategy, with a focus on creating a strong, lasting impression of the Commonwealth. “A lot of people think that my role is to sell a destination,” she tells us. “But my job is to make people feel something about Pennsylvania before they ever even arrive.” This means traveling all over the state and highlighting Pennsylvania’s culture, character, and sense of place in a way that resonates with both tourists and residents.

“A lot of Pennsylvanians don’t even know what Pennsylvania has to offer,” she says. (A plug to the 72,000,000 people who live within a four-hour drive of Pennsylvania: “If you want a weekend in the woods or on a lake, and you live in Philly, you might go to upstate New York. Don’t go to upstate New York!” Ryan loves the Pennsylvania Wilds, home to the largest forest between NYC and Chicago.)

Ryan approaches the 2026 events as key opportunities to “put Pennsylvania’s culture on full display and to make sure that every single person who is coming in — whether it was for the NFL draft out in Pittsburgh or for the PGA championship, the World Cup, MLB All-Star — has a lasting impression of Pennsylvania as a place that they’re curious about and want to come back to.” Here’s how she does that.

What does a typical day look like for you right now, in the middle of Philly’s biggest summer?
Every single day is about identifying the opportunity, based off what media is in town, what matches we’re hosting. And it’s truly capitalizing on the moment we’ve spent so much time prepping for, working across agencies and the city of Philadelphia. There’s been planning logistically and operationally; there’s been the marketing and the advertising to get as many visitors here as possible. But now, I look at these matches, like, “Who can I host, as the head of tourism, in order to build relationships for the future?”

I’m hosting [renowned fitness instructor] Ally Love because, with the WNBA team coming in 2030, and the momentum the Philly Sisters have built with Unrivaled basketball and the women’s Tennis Classic in August, it is my job to go out and find future partners. So, [Love’s] coming as a creator, but I have to leverage that moment, just very casually and organically fill her in on what’s going on in Philadelphia — we’re a women’s sports town; we are here to claim that nationally. I’d love to get her back here for the Tennis Classic. If we can host Unrivaled again, would she consider being the announcer? It’s my job to use these moments and this access to go towards the future.

I’m also hosting an athletic director from the Naval Academy because we need to get to Army-Navy games back here in Philadelphia. Army-Navy is so part of our DNA. When that RFP [request for proposal] comes out in the fall, I want him to have a really fresh memory of how electric Philadelphia is during a big game, and how we’ve activated around the World Cup.

It’s early, but I’ve heard buzz about Philly being the best host city in the U.S. In my unbiased opinion, it feels true.
I’m so happy to hear you say that. And I’m going to say something really honest here: We know that like FIFA looks to Philadelphia Soccer as setting the bar and as a model host city. And that has been so apparent that even the Boston Globe is saying Philadelphia is doing a better job than Boston. Not just on the World Cup — they came back and said we’re also killing it on 250.

Something that I’m especially proud of is that state funding has helped to make this happen. It’s how accessibility has been at the root of the World Cup. I’m on the board for Philadelphia Soccer, and every decision has been, “How do we make sure that as many people as possible, whether they’re residents or they’re coming from around the world, can actually afford to be here? And can have as many experiences as they can while they’re here?” Because we can’t control the tickets prices — FIFA sets those — but we can control Fan Fest. And we have partnerships with SEPTA — and we’re all brand-savvy enough, like they had the great idea to partner with Airbnb for free SEPTA rides on the way back.

We’re also one of the only host cities that did not surge prices across the board. You can get a Philly PHLASH all-day pass for $5, and Fan Fest is free. You can get to the stadium for $2.90. Compare that to Boston and New York and other host cities.

I feel like we have like rewritten the rule book on how you can actually make a FIFA experience possible, because if 70 percent of people who travel for FIFA don’t have a ticket, then that means the majority of people are actually looking for an accessible fan-oriented environment. Fan Fest is proving that stat: The projections that we had for Fan Fest were 20,000 fans on match days. Well, this past weekend we welcomed over 40,000 per day. We doubled our highest projection. People really just want to be in an environment with fellow fans. They want to follow their team. And Philadelphia is living proof of that stat every single day. And, you know, there was a lot of curiosity, like, why would we have a 39-day free fan festival? Other cities aren’t doing it. And it’s because you have to look at the demand. You have to actually look at what fans want.

I know the World Cup is an exceptional case, but how can we keep this going? Because even little things on match day went more smoothly: extra assistance and volunteers, making it easier for people who might not necessarily speak the language. There was so much consideration built into that.
Well, you make the perfect point there: I’ve never gotten down to the Sports Complex faster or easier. And you’re right: Are we always going to have the resources to do that, let’s say, for like an Eagles home game? Maybe not, but we do have the Phambassadors now, you know? The city has rallied around all these 2026 events, and I feel like we’re learning a lot.

What are you most looking forward to in Philly this summer?
I think July 4th, having the 250th, the intersection of sports, history, and culture is really fascinating to me. To wake up on July 4th in the city that founded the nation — the day before we will have had the Liberty Medal ceremony with the Pope Zooming in, and Idina Menzel the night of July 3rd. And then to wake up on July 4th and be preparing for what I hope is a match that is France and Germany. It would be so serendipitous to have France playing here on July 4th because, arguably one of the greatest assists in history was when France came in and helped America win its independence. I feel that Revolutionary tie-back and, you know, have we ever really properly thanked France? So I would be so excited to cheer for France on July 4th — and then if they do play Germany, there’s such an incredibly rich cultural tie between Pennsylvania and Germany and I would love to experience that. And then, to have the concert that night on the Parkway and knowing that Mayor Parker has really big plans for how we’re going to honor the 250th.

That day, it’s entertainment and culture and history and the World Cup. That very specific moment, that intersection: I am never going to experience that again in my lifetime, ever. I can’t wait to live that day, from morning to night.

Let’s imagine it’s 2076 and Philly’s getting ready to celebrate the tricentennial, and future planners are looking back at 2026 and saying, “Let’s try and do something like that again!” What are they referring to?
I hope that they’re referring to the collaboration, and the intersection of major historical and cultural events. Because here’s the thing about humans: We only care about history when we can make it relevant to today, being able to see ourselves in a story and really connect to it. And so when I when I think about the 300th anniversary, or even the 250th birthday today, the historical part is just one part of the story. So I hope that in 2076, organizers go after an event that’s even bigger than the World Cup and make sure that intersects with a concert that’s even bigger than what we did on the Parkway. Like, let’s like have our own ball drop, you know? Will Philly be ready for an Olympics?

Go for that convergence of sports, entertainment, culture, and history. That’s what’s making this summer special. What if we didn’t have the World Cup this summer and it was just the 250th? This city would feel so different.

If you could talk to a tourist who’s in town this summer, let’s say for the World Cup, what is something else you would tell them to do while they’re in Philly?
I would tell them that they should rent a bike and get out to the Wissahickon. I think the Wissahickon is such a treasure. Because, if they’re in town this summer for a major event, they’re gonna be around people and fans and get that really positive chaos that they’ve come for. But I believe that it’s part of tourism’s job to show the other aspect. So I would tell them to just go out and just escape in nature for a little bit, because the fact that you can feel so far away and you’re only like 15 or 20 minutes from Center City is incredible.

I would also tell them: Go to Chestnut Hill or go to New Hope — you don’t have to go more than 45 minutes away to experience a charming small town. And what I love about Pennsylvania is that Americana here is preserved: It’s not performative; it’s not contrived.

What is a less cliché Philly souvenir you’d recommend for someone to take a little piece of the city home with them?
I would probably tell them to go to Open House on 13th Street. Anytime I host friends or people from out of town, I like to go there and just grab a couple things to welcome them to Philly. Because it’s nice Philly stuff, and so much of it is actually made in Philly. They have so many great options — from Christmas ornaments to beer glasses — and so much is designed by local artists.

What is your favorite Philly memory?
I’ve had the best experiences here, so many fun nights in the Gayborhood, like 1 a.m. nights at Tavern on Camac. On that theme, and this is a recent memory: Opening the LGBTQ+ Visitor Center, that was that was so powerful. I was so proud that Governor Shapiro is so fiercely committed to LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy that he empowered me and my office to support that center with funding and partnership. And then to be there the day that it opened and to be able to speak … I moved to Philadelphia when I was 22 and I had only just realized I was gay. I remember walking through the neighborhood, not even knowing the grid or the names of streets. I didn’t even know what Wawa was because I grew up in the middle — I grew up in Sheetz country. I remember the Gayborhood quickly becoming my home: spending so much time at Knock and getting guidance from the friends I met at the bar. And to invest in a real visitor center there and know that visitors coming in — from other parts of Pennsylvania, from other states, internationally, and even our own residents — that they’re going to have a safe place to land, to get guidance, to get information. And that, while other states are removing their investments in LGBTQ+ resources that we’re doubling down, that meant so much to me as a member of the LGBTQ community — as a 22-year-old who was so lost at that time, and then as someone today who is able to provide a safe landing place for LGBTQ+ travelers.

Who is your favorite Philly mascot, past or present?
Hmm, I want to answer this from my heart. My favorite Philly mascot really is Gritty. But it’s Gritty because of the brand nerd in me. Whoever concepted Gritty has done such an incredible job capturing the nuance of Philadelphians and Philadelphia fan culture. The best part of Gritty is when he’s raising mischief kind of off to the side that only a few people might notice, but it’s so hilarious. And so Philly. He’s not even doing it for a camera — he’s doing it for like the three people who notice that he’s doing it. I think the nuance of how Gritty as a mascot captures the iconic Philadelphia fandom mindset is a bull’s eye, and his mischief? I could watch it 24/7 on a loop. I want to talk to the person [responsible for Gritty] at Spectacor because the brief on who Gritty is, I’d love to see it.

What is your favorite Philly restaurant, or one Philly food or specific restaurants dish that visitors should be sure to eat while they’re here?
My guilty pleasure: If I have an hour in between meetings where I just need to catch up on email, I go to the bar at Dizengoff and I get the Turkish hummus. It’s warm, and it’s almost like “hummus meets mashed potatoes.” So, just sit at the bar and have your hummus, have the pita. And I always get a side of pickles.

If you’re making a Philly playlist, what song is kicking it off?
If I’m making a Pennsylvania playlist, I’m kicking it off with Rusted Root’s “Send Me on My Way,” because Rusted Root is from Pittsburgh, and I love that song. I actually have made playlists for when I’m traveling to different parts of Pennsylvania for a while, and that’s always the first song.

And in Philadelphia? Sometimes if I want to feel hype, I’ll put on that Mac Miller song “Knock Knock.”

So, we’ve talked a lot about what 2026 will be like for visitors, because we’re hosting the world, but what do you hope it means for Philadelphians? Is there a lasting mark or collective memory, you hope we’ll carry with us, having experienced it in our hometown?
Yes, and I feel so strongly about this. I so badly want Philadelphians to feel chosen. I want them to feel like top dogs, and not underdogs.

The underdog mentality did serve us well at one point, and it is part of our DNA and culture where I’m not ever saying we need to walk away from it. But it is a really big deal to host the World Cup. And we were chosen. We were selected because FIFA, one of the biggest organizations in the world where over a billion people tune into these games, said We want Philadelphia to host six matches. We want Philadelphia to be a part of this World Cup story. And then to have been chosen for All-Star Week and the PGA championship as well, I hope that Philadelphians are looking around and seeing that.

Visitors are saying how much they love Philly, and how beautiful it is. And it’s like, if we can love Philly the same way the visitors are loving Philly … We love Philly the way we love a sibling, right? But we need to fall in love with it. Like, a true love, as my daughter would say.

I want Philadelphia to feel chosen. And I want them to really believe in our ability to host these big events and have nice things. You know that billboard from back in the 1970s that says, “Philadelphia isn’t as bad as Philadelphians say it is”? There’s a little bit of that still left in this city. And I have noticed a national narrative that’s trickled down locally, like “Is the World Cup going to be a flop? Is it going to be a success?” And Philadelphia’s killing it. And we need to be proud of that. I want Philadelphians to want more for themselves after this summer. We just proved that we can rise to the level of a World Cup and host a world-class event.