Quote:
Originally Posted by the urban politician
^ And the problem is, we apparently have a bunch of Tom in Chicago types (no offense intended) handling the marketing around here.
"We're happy just the way were are, mind your own business, and don't send nobody nobody sent" etc etc.
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Yeah pretty much. There's nothing wrong with being content, but the general outlook of the city internationally for people who have never visited is far from what some people think. I mean numerous people I met and showed around it went down to "I have to tell people back home about Chicago and to stop listening to the media about the city." When Chicago makes the news internationally these days, it's usually not for good reasons (especially since the Bulls aren't winning championships and don't have any big superstars anymore). I mean it's to the point where last year there was that art installation that was about "gun sharing" in the Loop and the state media in China literally interpreted it as a legitimate thing. Tons of people in China think Chicago now has gun sharing and still do to this day.
Let me bring something up - At least according to 360 at Hancock Tower, Houston has more international visitors than Chicago. HOUSTON. There's some other studies that had Chicago above Houston but not by much. Look, we could justify cities like NYC, Vegas, LA, and Miami - but Houston? Come the F on. Maybe it's being close to Mexico, I don't know - the flight is 2-2.5 hours versus 4-4.5 hours to Chicago from Mexico City. Shouldn't matter anyway.
Tourism in Chicago is doing really well obviously, but at the same time getting more international visitors would be a big boost economically and probably more than some realize.