National Pan Hellenic Council members welcome visitors to Philadelphia

Some prominent local members of historically Black fraternities and sororities are participating in an effort to boost the region’s leisure travelers.

They are showcasing their favorite places to go in the new Visit Philadelphia: Black Greek Edition video series. The series is part of a year-long effort to market Philadelphia to more than two million members of the National Pan Hellenic Council, an umbrella organization of nine fraternities and sororities.

The series was spearheaded by Visit Philadelphia, the city’s official tourism agency.

“Black history and culture have long been a part of the Philadelphia experience and a great reason for travelers to visit the region,” said Rachel Ferguson, the agency’s chief innovation and global diversity officer.

She noted that it was here where Octavius Catto fought for voting rights and where music legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff developed the Sound of Philadelphia.

“We thought as though we could best engage with Philadelphia’s best ambassadors through this initiative,” Ferguson said.

“They are extending an invitation to their fraternity brothers and their sorority sisters to come to Philadelphia – the place they love — to reconnect. Everything that has happened with the pandemic, it makes people prioritize and remember the importance of family and friends.”

“It’s definitely important to have that emotional connection with travelers and these prominent Philadelphians that are participating they have that connection to the region,” she continued.

“This is definitely a signal to Black travelers that Philadelphia is a great place to visit.”

In the video series, members of the NPHC highlight customized Philadelphia itineraries for visitors featuring their favorite historical attractions, museums, restaurants, shops, concert venues and other businesses — many of which are Black-owned.

The itineraries include museums such as Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes Foundation and National Constitution Center; restaurants including SOUTH, Booker’s Restaurant & Bar and Relish; shops like Blue Sole Shoes, Boyd’s, Dolly’s Boutique & Consignment and TC Unlimited, concert venues including Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, The Mann and The Dell Music Center.

The NPHC members appear in locations around the city that are significant in the Black community including The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP), Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. International headquarters.

Vanetta Cheeks Reeder, national president, NPHC and member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. said that Visit Philadelphia was being proactive by showcasing members of the Greek organizations.

“It was long overdue because of the number of conferences that we do and the number of national meetings that have been here,” said Reeder, who participated in the video series.

“We have brought revenue to the city collectively with our organizations not just nationally but with our regional meetings and so to see the Greeks showcased was very positive.”

She received positive feedback after sending the video to people who reside in other states.

“They’ve looked at it and they said ‘wow some of these things I didn’t even know. Now I know I have a reason to come to Philadelphia,’” Reeder said.

She joins other NPHC members such as Kevin Harden Jr., Ross Feller Casey LLP, of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Rev. Lorina Marshall-Blake, Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Charlene Collins, Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Harold T. Epps, Diversified Search and Bellevue Stategies, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; John Burrell, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. ; Richard Lee Snow, United Negro College Fund, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; former City Council member Blondell Reynolds Brown, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; City Council member Cherelle Parker, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Aunyea Lachelle, NBC10, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Tumar Alexander, City of Philadelphia, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; Rashon Howard, Shon, LLC, Nu Sigma Chapter, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; City Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Bishop Dwayne Royster, Power Interfaith, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. are also part of the series.

The new marketing effort comes as the Black travel market was thriving prior to the pandemic. A study created by MMGY Travel Intelligence indicates that Black U.S. leisure travelers spent $109.4 billion on travel in 2019.