Retiring Visit Philadelphia CEO Reflects on 4 Decades on Tourism’s Front Lines
Photo Credit: Visit Philadelphia president and CEO, Meryl Levitz, pictured here, is retiring later this year after nearly 22 years at the helm of the organization. Levitz is the founding CEO of Visit Philadelphia and has been one of the most prominent forces in building Philadelphia’s tourism industry for the past four decades. Visit Philadelphia
Skift Take
Levitz uses her weaknesses as strengths and has remained a humble leader, despite the outsize impact she has had on Philadelphia's booming tourism industry during the past four decades. Every destination can learn something from her leadership.
If longtime Visit Philadelphia president and CEO Meryl Levitz had been born more of a gifted musician, the tourism experience in Philadelphia would look a whole lot different today.
Levitz announced earlier this year that she will retire at the end of 2018 after a successor is hired, bringing to a close a 40-year career promoting Philadelphia tourism. Forty years of promoting a single destination is a rarity these days for any tourism official, so Levitz's highly regarded tenure is a lesson book on the ups, and the downs, for an entire industry.
Levitz played the piano growing up and is mulling a date with a Cajun accordion that's sitting in her study at home once she has more time to practice technique. Hence, her love of musical metaphors.
“I'm not at all musically talented but I want to make the music come on for Philadelphia,” said the 70-year-old Illinois native who has lived in Philly most of her life. “I want to make the music come on for Philadelphians, I want to
