Tourist timidity
Friday, May 9th, 2008So, Toronto is losing tourists because it doesn’t have the “Wow” factor anymore.
A tourism project finds our fellow Canadians dismiss Toronto as a vacation destination because, in order, of crime, traffic and the expense.
Americans say they’re put off by passport requirements, delays at the border and bad weather.
Just a few years ago, three-quarters of tourists polled said they were satisfied with their experiences here. Now that number has fallen to less than half.
But there are some positives in the report. Toronto is still this country’s top place to visit. More tourists have been coming to visit from overseas in recent years and more visitors overall are staying overnight.
Councillor Michael Thompson reminds us that we all have a role to play in attracting tourists and making sure they go back home with positive things to say about coming here. It’s true. If you stop someone in Paris you’re likely to get a shrug and no help at all but the attractions make up for it! Tourists are willing to put up with some stuff as long as the overall experience is a good one.
But what do we wow them with? I’d suggest to visitors that they plan to arrive during one of our excellent festivals: Beaches Jazz, Caribana and so many others. This city has a lot to offer, there’s nowhere on earth quite like it and we simply have to do a better job of promoting it.
