Coronavirus Philadelphia: City Tourism Industry Taking Major Hit During Pandemic

Matt Petrillo reports.

THE MOBILE FOOD PANTRY WILLMAKE A STOP IN WESTHAMPTONBURLINGTON COUNTY TOMORROW.PHILADELPHIA'S TOURISMINDUSTRY THAT ATTRACT PEOPLEFROM ALL OVER THE WORLD HASBEEN DEVASTATED BY THISPANDEMIC."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERMATT PETRILLO LIVE IN OLD SITWHICH THAT PART OF OURCOVERAGE TODAY.HI, MATT.HEY, JESS, $1 BILLION,THAT'S HOW MUCH PHILADELPHIA'STOURISM INDUSTRY HAS ALREADYLOST DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THANIS ACCORDING TO A RESEARCHCOMPANY CALLED TOURISMECONOMICS.NOW, EVERYTHING FROMINDEPENDENCE HALL TO THELIBERTY BELL, ARE TILL CLOSEDHERE IN OLD CITY, ACROSS OURDELAWARE VALLEY SOME 200,000HOSPITALITY JOBS HAVE MOSTLYBEEN ON PULLED SINCE THE PANTELL, EVEN BEAUTIFUL GARDENS,WORKERS HAD ACTUALLY COMPOSEMUCH OF ITS SPRING SHOWBECAUSE BY NOT BEING ABLE TOCARE FOR THE PLANTS, PESTS ANDDISEASES IN THE GLASSCONSERVATORY BECAME A BIGCONCERN.MONITORING THE PEST ANDDISEASES AND THOSE GARDENSTHAT ARE GLASS IS OF THEHIGHEST IMPORTANCE, BECAUSELIKE OUR GROWN WALL, WHICHEVERYBODY KNOWS AND LOVES,SAID SEVERAL TIMES NOW, IF ONELEAF STARTS TO TURN BROWN,THAT ENTIRE VERTICAL GARDEN,THAT COULD CAUSE PESTS ANDDISEASE TO SPREAD THROUGH THEENTIRE GREEN WALL.WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT WE MIGHTFACE THE ROUTE OF STRONGREPLACE THAT IF WE WEREN'TCARING FOR IT DURING THISPERIOD EVERY TIME SO VERYSERIOUS.AND WE GOT A HINT WHENLONGWOOD GARDENS WOULD REOPEN.AND THAT IS LITTLE SOONER THANYOU MIGHT THINK.WE HAVE THAT COMING UP ON"EYEWITNESS NEWS" AT 5:00.