Why doesn't Chicago come across as touristy? (Washington, Victoria: homes, food)

[reppin_the_847]

I think there is something you're overlooking with Arizona in particular. There happens to be a LOT of transplants from the Chicago area that live in the Phoenix area. And it's obvious that there are a ton of people from SoCal (LA area, etc.) in and around Phoenix as well. I'd say there are more ex-Chicagoans in Phoenix than ex-New Yorkers. Florida on the other hand is way more split and gets transplants from throughout the Midwest & East Coast (Midwesterners generally prefer southwest Florida while Northeast folks generally gravitate towards southeast Florida although I've seen a good amount of New Yorkers in Tampa as well).

Originally Posted by Jandur

Well yes, but I don't see what difference that makes. If you live in Arizona, and went to NYC last year, what's the appeal to come to Chicago this year? I just don't see it.

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

Chicago has less media exposure than Miami? Huh?

Chicago has more media exposure than any other city in the U.S. except NYC, L.A., and D.C. Atlanta might be in the running simply because of CNN being headquartered there. That's about it.

Heck, I grew up 800 miles away from Chicago watching the Cubs on WGN. The only thing I knew about Miami was that the Golden Girls and Tubbs and Crocket lived there.

Miami does have more media exposure world wide than Chicago does. That's not a knock on Chi town either but people world wide have heard of Miami more than Chicago. Of course having the President of the US come from the Windy city has elevated it to international exposure.

[thefallensrvnge]

I found Chicago very tourist friendly. The hidden gems are there, but Millennium Park, the lakefront, and the museum clusters are perfect for visitors. I stayed in a hostel in mid-October and that sucker was pretty busy with people from all over the world. However, I think a lot of Chicago's tourism nationally are Midwesterns.

The Midwest seems to cater to a specific kind of tourist--the ones looking for old Americana. When I traveled overseas, every once in awhile I would come across someone who thought it was interesting I came from the Midwest. However, most of that was attached to love of the red-barn-prarie-windmill-with-tornadoes look. Rare to find people like that, but it happens.

It's nice to have a lot of space to wander around out here (a landscape more diverse than it gets credit for), but I like having a huge, thriving city like Chicago within range as a destination, or as a place to live. It has pull. Chicago can pull tourist in from all over the world who otherwise would never have give the Midwest a second look.

[Just1Fan]

Originally Posted by tawfiqmp

I ask people to name a city they would like to visit that they haven't been to before, Chicago hardly comes up.

So, the real question is, why doesn't Chicago come across as touristy to the people you've asked to name a city they would like to visit that they haven't been to before? Now, all we have to do is get their response.

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

Miami does have more media exposure world wide than Chicago does. That's not a knock on Chi town either but people world wide have heard of Miami more than Chicago. Of course having the President of the US come from the Windy city has elevated it to international exposure.

Aside from Latin America, I don't see Miami having an edge over Chicago when it comes to overall media exposure.

[Dream Chaser]

I think Chicago is finally taking off with tourism. Tourism is being taking more serious for the city. Its good because that means more jobs and money for the city.

[Chicago76]

Regional tourism from the MW aside, Chicago's recognition isn't as strong as it should be. Nationally and internationally, it offers much more for visitors than people realize. The city's brand simply isn't strong. I don't know how many times I've come across a tourist from Europe or Asia on a month long US tour who has told me that Chicago was the biggest surprise of their trip.

The city has industrial roots, is known for a blue collar work ethic, and average Joe in Europe knows Chicago for two things: Michael Jordan and Al Capone....unfortunately. That's changing a bit (add Obama now). I think a big part of this is that the city offers a really rich package for a tourist, but there is nothing that stands out as a singular icon...not even the Sears or the Hancock compared to the images in other cities I'm about to list:

NY is NY...Broadway, Wall Street, everything. Boston has the colonial/university heritage. DC has federal institutions. culture, monuments. LA and entertainment. NOLA has Mardi Gras. Miami = weather, South Beach, Latin influence. Orlando = Disney. Vegas = casinos. The Bay Area = romance, trolley cars, and the Bridge+wine country down the road.

All of these places score a "10" in at least one category, but many of them score 2s and 3s in others. Chicago doesn't really score a "10" in anything. It gets 7s through 9s in about everything though, but unfortunately, a lot of people want to see that "10" and that's what they base their decisions on. In baseball terms, Chicago hits .310, gets 30 HR, 25 doubles, hardly ever strikes out, draws plenty of walks, is good with the glove, and a decent baserunner. An all around great player. One of the best in the game. Some more nationally and internationally tourist-oriented cities might be the kind of player who smashes 55 HRs, strikes out a ton, bats .270, and is slow and not better than average as a fielder. The guy hits home runs, but he's not the player the other guy is. People go to see the guy hit a home run though.

In other countries, there are plenty of gems that seem to fall through the cracks the same way Chicago does. One of the best ones off the top of my head is Toronto. A lot of the same package. A little lighter on the cultural side, but heavier on the immigrant charm. Montreal gets most of the tourist publicity. It kind of gets the same romantic notions people have with San Francisco.

This isn't a horrible problem to have, it's just one that isn't easily solved, because selling the whole package is more difficult than flashing a picture of Mardi Gras, the Strip, or Disney World on the screen. I do think that people have a hard time getting their arms around the idea of Chicago feeling very coastal with the Lake. Until you've seen a Great Lake, you can't really understand how similar it is to being on a huge bay or the ocean. If the city just decided to dump an ungodly amount of salt in the Lake and rename it Sea of Michigan, that would go a long way. I'm only half joking here.

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Aside from Latin America, I don't see Miami having an edge over Chicago when it comes to overall media exposure.

You really don't know much about Miami then. Throw the name around in Europe or Asia and they know Miami. I'm not saying they don't know Chicago as well but most couldn't even name the state it's in.
I'm not trying to turn this into a city vs. city comparison either but Chicago doesn't market itself as a tourist city very well like Miami does.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by jwaiter

Yes, but how many time you going to go back to the same vaca spot? I've vacationed in NYC, but that didn't prevent me from vacationing in Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, etc... People go to multiple vaca destinations in a lifetime.

With NYC? I think for a lot of people, including myself, it has an unlimited allotment. Somewhere like Seattle, or Denver, it might just be a one time affair depending on my experience there.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by reppin_the_847

I think there is something you're overlooking with Arizona in particular. There happens to be a LOT of transplants from the Chicago area that live in the Phoenix area. And it's obvious that there are a ton of people from SoCal (LA area, etc.) in and around Phoenix as well. I'd say there are more ex-Chicagoans in Phoenix than ex-New Yorkers. Florida on the other hand is way more split and gets transplants from throughout the Midwest & East Coast (Midwesterners generally prefer southwest Florida while Northeast folks generally gravitate towards southeast Florida although I've seen a good amount of New Yorkers in Tampa as well).

He was just using Arizona as an example, you could insert New Mexico or Tennessee. Same scenario.