Trolleys, big tourism plans mark beginning of summer

City tourism officials, Mayor Nutter, Gov. Rendell and others yesterday christened the purple Phlash tourist bus with champagne bottles to mark the beginning of the tourist season.

At a news conference held at the Independence Visitors Center, city tourism officials outlined plans to attract more visitors this summer.

To better serve the millions of tourists who visit the city every year - and to attract even more - city tourism leaders unveiled a new Web site for the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, visitphilly.com.

An accompanying marketing campaign will tout the city's major attractions, said Meryl Levitz, president and chief executive of GPTMC.

The campaign will stress "what's new in Historic Philadelphia, but also what's old," Levitz said at the Independence Visitors Center, 6th and Market streets.

New attractions this year include an addition to the Betsy Ross House and an exhibit in the First Bank, on 3rd Street near Chestnut, the first time the building has been open to the public since a temporary exhibit was held there in 2004.

The new Web site has tourist information, sample itineraries and links to hotel packages and other offers.

The Phlash, which stops at 27 tourist spots around the city, resumes regular service today and costs $2 for a single ride, $5 for an all-day pass and $10 for an all-day family pass. SEPTA TransPasses, TrailPasses and One Day Independence Passes can also be used for travel on the Phlash.

Four million people visit Historic Philadelphia - the area between Front and 7th streets and Race and Spruce streets - each year, according to the GPTMC.