Flower Show Among "100 Best Events for 2010"

The American Bus Association has announced that the 2010 Philadelphia International Flower Show, “Passport to the World,” has been designated as one of the “Top 100 Events in North America for 2010” by an elite tourism industry selection committee. The Flower Show is described as an internationally renowned event in the supplement to the ABA’s Destination magazine.

Inclusion in the Top 100 list indicates that the Flower Show, which will be held Feb. 28 to March 7 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, offers excellent entertainment value to tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, according to the ABA.

“The attractiveness of the Philadelphia International Flower Show as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection is such a distinction,” said Peter J. Pantuso, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news here is that the Flower Show has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy.”

According to recent studies by George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave $5,000 to $13,000 in a local destination’s economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.

The Flower Show attracts more than 250,000 visitors, who generate an overall impact of $30 million for restaurants, hotels, shops, businesses, and cultural attractions in and around Philadelphia. Proceeds of the Show, which is produced by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, support Philadelphia Green, PHS’ award-winning urban revitalization program.

The 2010 Flower Show, the oldest and largest indoor flower show in the world, will take visitors on an exotic journey to dozens of destinations around the globe. The massive Showcase Gardens will transport visitors to an elaborate Indian wedding; a blooming Dutch street scene; the natural and tribal wonders of South Africa; the Amazon jungle of Brazil; the botanical gardens of Singapore; and the rugged beauty of New Zealand.

The ABA events selection committee chose the Flower Show from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and convention and visitors bureaus. Judges considered the event’s broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches, skill at handling large groups, and a variety of other criteria.
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