Philadelphia is extending its brotherly love to Canadians and urging them to visit the city at the time when they “might need extra encouragement to return to the U.S.” by utilizing an impressive lineup of Canadians who know the city well – because they have made it their home.
The new video series ‘You’ll Love It Here: A Canadian Welcome to Philadelphia’ features Canadian-born Philly residents appearing on Canadian streaming platforms, making the case for Canadians to experience Philadelphia’s arts, cultural, historic, and culinary attractions soon for themselves.
“We’re very lucky to have so many extraordinary Canadians thriving in various high-profile roles and institutions here in Philadelphia,” said Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB). “We believe the best people to tell Philadelphia’s story to Canadians are their fellow Canadians who know the city, love it, and have chosen to stay here.”
The Canadian-born Philadelphia residents featured in the new videos include:
- Daniel Brière, GM, Philadelphia Flyers – Hometown: Gatineau, Que.
- Raina Douris, Host of World Café, WXPN – Hometown: Toronto
- Alex Kemp, Co-Owner & Chef, My Loup – Hometown: Gananoque, Ont.
- Nic Macri, Chef, Royal Tavern – Hometown: North York, Ont.
- Sasha Suda, George D. Widener Director & CEO, Philadelphia Museum of Art – Hometown: Toronto
In the videos, they all praise Philadelphia as both a city that they have come to love and a place where other Canadians will feel at home.
“Canada will always be my home,” says Douris, “but Philadelphia, that’s my home away from home.”
“There’s so much about Philadelphia for Canadians to love,” adds Suda, who moved to Philadelphia in 2022 to helm one of the city’s most iconic institutions, the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Celebrated chefs Macri, of Royal Tavern, and Kemp, of My Loup, praise Philadelphia’s food scene and incredible community.
And the Flyers General Manager Daniel Brière, who has lived in the Philadelphia area for nearly 20 years, dating back to his time as a centre for Philadelphia’s NHL team, shares that the people of Philadelphia have been very welcoming. He later adds a message in French Canadian: “You’ll love it in Philadelphia!”
The 30-second videos are part of a six-week streaming campaign targeting selected areas of Canada including Toronto, Quebec City, Montreal, and Halifax. The campaign will also be delivered via connected TVs in Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec, and Montreal. The videos will stream in English with Canadian French subtitles through the Amazon Prime, Bell Media, and Warner Bros platforms, as well as on social media.
The videos and related ads direct viewers to the PHLCVB’s special Canadian visitors page – DiscoverPHL.com/Canada – where they will find the Bureau’s International Visitors Guide and a wealth of information for planning a trip to Philadelphia.
No. 1 market
Canada is Philadelphia’s largest international market for inbound travellers. In 2024, the city welcomed over 535,000 Canadian visitors.
Canadian visitors have multiple means for visiting the Philadelphia region, including daily nonstop flights from Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax and seasonal nonstop service from Quebec City. Canadians can also take advantage of Amtrak service along the Northeast Corridor or drive to the region as part of multi-city East Coast journeys.
The video campaign is part of Philadelphia’s ongoing presence in the Canadian market, which includes in-market media relations representation, year-round work with Canadian travel agents and tour operators, and special promotional events targeting specific travel interests.
In recent years, these events have featured joint tourism presentations with the Philadelphia Orchestra during performances in Canadian cities and media events at Phillies/Blue Jays games in Toronto.
“We’re going to keep being creative about our outreach to the Canadian audience,” said Caren. “We’re always looking for innovative ways to showcase Philadelphia as a destination that will surprise you, welcome you, and make you want to visit again and again.”
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