San Francisco has hired a new top tourism official to try and shift public perception of the city as it deals with rising crime and rampant drug use.
The San Francisco Tourism Association, the Golden Gate city’s tourism and marketing bureau, has hired Scott Beck, the current head of the Toronto tourism organization, as its new president and CEO, the organization announced Thursday.
Beck, who will take the reins on Oct. 30, told the San Francisco Chronicle that his biggest challenge in the role will be reversing “the persistent narrative about San Francisco as a monolithic experience, when it clearly isn’t.”
He added that media coverage of the city’s security was “not 100% accurate.”
In recent years San Francisco has gained a national reputation as a city overrun with homeless and overrun drug markets and users.
The situation has gotten so bad, a road guide — who later revealed himself to be a city commissioner before his resignation — tried to start a “Doom Loop Walking Tour” last month so people could see the city’s urban collapse for themselves.
Homelessness is one of the biggest problems San Francisco is facing. David G. McIntyre
About 48% of Americans see San Francisco as an unsafe city, according to a recent Gallup Poll, The Chronicle reported. Perceptions were sharply divided along partisan lines, with 74% of Democrats seeing the city as safe, while only 32% of Republicans agreed.
While FBI data shows that San Francisco has a relatively low violent crime rate, it has a relatively high overall crime rate — especially with car thefts targeting tourist vehicles.
Just last week, two different groups of tourists had their belongings — including their passports — stolen from their rental cars during a broad daylight smash-and-grab while they were visiting Ocean Beach. They were only there for about 10 minutes.
Scott Beck said he wants to push the city’s bad reputation to boost tourism.San Francisco Travel Association
Also this week a California tourist claimed her French bulldog service animal was stolen “with fear and force” during a brief stay in the city.
Beck said it’s unclear what strategy the organization plans to turn around the city.
The San Francisco Tourism Association, which has a $33 million annual budget, has launched a $6 million global tourism campaign — its largest ever.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
