Philly tourism industry braces for impact | Morning Newsletter
And Mama’s Pizzeria is closing
The Morning Newsletter
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Good morning. Runners may deal with some patchy fog during the Philadelphia Love Run, but it should turn into a mostly cloudy Sunday.
As the Trump administration taunts Canada with hostile rhetoric and steep tariffs, city tourism leaders are worried about the downstream effects on tourism.
Further down, our cheesesteak columnist stops by a longtime Main Line eatery planning on closing its doors after 70 years.
— Paola Pérez ([email protected])
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Could Philly’s tourism industry take a hit from the global trade war and President Donald Trump’s policies?
Tourism leaders in Philadelphia are concerned this could become a reality in the fallout of United States’ strained relationship with its northern neighbor and other traditional allies.
By the numbers: 1.2 million international visitors, about 45% of which were Canadian, generated $1.2 billion in total economic impact last year. About 80,000 people work in tourism in hospitality in Philly, according to the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
More on the way: Several big events are expected to attract millions of people to the city in 2026, including World Cup matches and festivities for America’s 250th anniversary.
But some already won’t come: Bookings from Canada are down from the same period last year, according to a March 26 analysis. And in the event of an expanded trade war, the U.S. is estimated to see a 5% decline in international travel in 2025.
What leaders are saying: “We’re like a lot of other industries in that we’re kind of watching this and trying to stay positive,” said Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the bureau. “But we’re all anxious.”
Business reporter Andrew Seidman has full the story.
A nearly 70-year-old cheesesteak-cooking tradition will fade away when Mama’s Pizzeria on the Main Line closes up shop.
It may have pizza in its name, but Mama’s in Bala Cynwyd has been crafting cheesesteaks since 1960. For at least a decade, it’s been strictly a cheesesteak joint.
Due to a combination of factors, including rising costs and a dwindling customer base, Mama’s second-generation grillman will hang up his spatula.
Go to Mama’s with Tommy Rowan to learn about the family-run mainstay’s history, and its impact on Philly and the cheesesteak scene.
What you should know today
Dozens of employees of Allied Universal Security Services are expected to be laid off in the coming months at one of the company’s headquarters locations in Conshohocken.
Lia Thomas, the former Penn swimmer at the core of the controversy over the federal funding pause at the university, said she will continue to stand up for the inclusion of transgender people in sports.
A Bucks County man allegedly keyed a swastika into the side of a Tesla SUV, setting local social media circles ablaze this week.
Newly released police bodycam video shows what happened in the arrest of a mayor in Burlington County, New Jersey, who had her son in the car at the time.
Four of the six Bhutanese refugees who were taken into custody by ICE despite living legally in Pennsylvania have now been deported, a Dauphin County official said late Friday.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office accused a judge who recently fined his office $120,000 of displaying improper bias and said she should reverse the penalty and recuse herself from the case — a request the judge quickly denied.
City Councilmember Kendra Brooks says her pup was “dognapped.” She’s asking for the public’s help.
Pennsylvania lost 700 federal workers between January and February, marking the largest month-over-month decline in federal employment since November 2020, according to data released Friday.
The Philadelphia Housing Authority acquired four properties totaling 381 units of housing in Germantown, part of a larger plan to acquire private-sector buildings across the city.
Pennsylvania’s home care industry is in crisis. It lags behind all of its neighboring states by nearly $5 per hour in Medicaid reimbursements, translating to low wages and high employee turnover.
With the help of grants, conservation organization Nature Lands bought a 40-acre tract in a small Delco town for $3.4 million to help preserve it from development.
❓Pop quiz
Philadelphia is among a handful of 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities asking the federal government for millions of dollars in security funding.
About how many people are expected to travel to the city for the event?
A) 62,000
B) 1 million
C) 500,000
D) 30,500
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Historic green space in Southwest Philly
ARMBAND GRATERS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Rick Brasch who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Kelly Clarkson. The three-time Grammy winning artist joined Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast this week and had high praise for Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata: “I didn’t know he sang so well.”
🎶 Today’s song goes like this: “It takes a lot of goodbyes to get to forever.”
Did any of you get to witness Tsumani reunite at Underground Arts? Ahead of their Friday night gig, pop critic Dan DeLuca talked to the DIY punk rockers and feminist heroes of the ‘90s. I’m queueing Loud Is As as I type this.
👋🏽 That’s it for now. Thanks for spending some time with me this morning. Julie will be back in your inbox tomorrow.