PHILADELPHIA, PA – November 24, 2014 – (HISPANICIZE WIRE) – VISIT PHILADELPHIA® in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant & Multicultural Affairs (MOIMA) today announced the launch of Philadelphia’s New Americans Tour, a self-guided excursion for new citizens and those studying to be citizens through the sites and attractions that tell the story of the nation’s founding. The tour is available in English at visitphilly.com/newamericans and in several other languages, including Spanish, French and Mandarin at phila.gov/ima. To promote the tour, VISIT PHILADELPHIA, the region’s tourism promotion agency, will host journalists and social media influencers, give a popular Instagrammer the reins of its account to show off the tour stops and run an incentive-based scavenger hunt version of the tour on the mobile application Scavify.
“The City of Philadelphia is a welcoming city for all immigrants. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs connects immigrants to necessary resources and helps them engage in the civic and social fabric of the city”
“The City of Philadelphia is a welcoming city for all immigrants. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs connects immigrants to necessary resources and helps them engage in the civic and social fabric of the city,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “Philadelphia’s New Americans Tour is an experiential study session for the naturalization test to help aspiring new Americans obtain citizenship. The tour takes immigrants to historic sites, highlighting many of the answers to questions on the test, and gives them a real connection to America’s past.”
“While studying for the citizenship test, I realized that more than half of the 100 questions on the study guide related to events that happened in Philadelphia, and that’s partly how the idea for the New Americans Tour came about,” said Adriana Arvizo, public relations manager, VISIT PHILADELPHIA. “I am lucky enough to live here, but I want others to know that a visit to Philadelphia will help future citizens get ready for the test and current citizens reconnect with America’s roots.”
“Philadelphia should be on every American’s and every aspiring American’s must-see, must-visit list,” said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO, VISIT PHILADELPHIA. “And our new tour shows them exactly where they should go and why these sites and attractions are so important to our nation’s story.”
The Tour:
Those interested in taking the tour can pick up a copy of the brochure at the Independence Visitor Center, at the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians and at the 13 tour locations. They can also download the piece in English at visitphilly.com/newamericans and in Spanish, French and Mandarin at phila.gov/ima. A look at the tour spots:
1. Betsy Ross House, where the seamstress is credited with creating the nation’s original red, white and blue banner. 239 Arch Street, historicphiladelphia.org
2. Independence Hall, the spot where delegates from the 13 colonies gathered and adopted the Declaration of Independence. 5th & Chestnut Streets, nps.gov/inde
3. Liberty Bell Center, home to the cracked but mighty Bell that serves as an international symbol of freedom. 525 Market Street, nps.gov/inde
4. Congress Hall, meeting place for the first Congress and site of George Washington’s and John Adams’ presidential inaugurations. 5th & Chestnut Streets, nps.gov/inde
5. National Constitution Center, the place to learn about the most influential four-page document in U.S. history. 525 Arch Street, constitutioncenter.org
6. Benjamin Franklin Museum, all about the life of the man who signed the Declaration of Independence and helped shape the U.S. Constitution. 314-322 Chestnut Street, nps.gov/inde
7. The President’s House Site, an open-air venue that explores the paradox of slavery and freedom at the nation’s first executive mansion. 6th & Market Streets, nps.gov/inde
8. Portrait Gallery in the Second Bank, home to paintings of George Washington and other signers of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. 420 Chestnut Street, nps.gov/inde
9. Olympia, the ship that led the first victory at sea during the Spanish-American War. 211 S. Columbus Boulevard, phillyseaport.org
10. The African American Museum in Philadelphia, attraction that explores the lives and contributions of people of the Africa Diaspora. 701 Arch Street, aampmuseum.org
Other Places That Tell the Immigration Story:
11. National Museum of American Jewish History, site that traces 350 years of Jewish life in America and the immigrant experience. 101 S. Independence Mall East, nmajh.org
12. Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent, where artifacts dating from the 17th century to the present tell the stories of people’s experiences as new Americans. 15 S. 7th Street, philadelphiahistory.org
13. Historical Society of Pennsylvania, an essential resource for anyone searching for information about the history of Pennsylvania and the lives of the people who live here. 1300 Locust Street, hsp.org
Getting Influencers Involved:
To kick off the program, VISIT PHILADELPHIA will invite journalists and social media influencers to the city on December 6 to experience the New Americans Tour and share the journey on their personal social media accounts and blogs, helping to publicize the tour to an exponentially larger audience.
Guest Instagram Program:
VISIT PHILADELPHIA will have influential Instagram photographer Emily Hinchcliff take over the @VisitPhilly Instagram account from November 18-20 to document the spots on the tour through her own eyes (or lens). This takeover will mark the 39th time VISIT PHILADELPHIA has handed over the reins of its Instagram account as part of the successful Guest Instagram program.
Scavenger Hunt:
To provide yet another way for users to experience the tour, VISIT PHILADELPHIA is creating a free incentive-based scavenger hunt using the Philadelphia-based mobile app Scavify. Beginning in early December, participants can take photos, check in at tour locations and answer trivia questions about the locations through the app, while learning the answers to the questions on the citizenship test as they go. There will be incentive for participants to complete the hunt in order to receive a reward. To enter the “Philadelphia’s New Americans Scavenger Hunt,” participants can download the Scavify mobile application from the App Store or Google Play, create an account, search “New Americans” and join the hunt. Once they have joined, they will be able to use the mobile application to complete the 18 tasks found in the hunt.
Mayor Michel A. Nutter established the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs (MOIMA) in 2013 for the purpose of ensuring the well-being of immigrants and other groups by providing access to city services, engaging stakeholders in develop economic resources, promoting civic participation and assisting with educational opportunities and access. For more information, visit phila.gov/ima. Like MOIMA on Facebook at Philly MOIMA and follow on twitter @PhillyMOIMA.
VISIT PHILADELPHIA®, formerly known as Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the five-county area.
Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com make up the most-visited website network out of the 10 biggest U.S. cities. Visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.
Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit the photo gallery of visitphilly.com/pressroom.