Toronto – Residents of this solemn city are being asked to do something completely unnatural to attract tourists — smile.
This revolutionary idea has been suggested as Ontario gears toward what the province is dropping hints will be its biggest ever push to lure visitors.
Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty has signified its importance by appointing his former longtime finance minister, Greg Sorbara, to devise it.
Sorbara resigned his cabinet post a few months ago because, with the younger McGuinty still firmly in his job, he has nowhere higher to go, but he still has the premier’s trust and ear.
A debate on what to do to lure tourists involving politicians and the city’s chauvinistic news media has been going on for weeks, but typically so far focused almost entirely on how to improve and market Toronto, which they see as the centre of the universe.
This is choosing the wrong destination, because tourists will not be drawn to Ontario primarily because of Toronto or any of its cities for that matter.
In this age of easy travel they have many cities to choose from, including London, Paris and Rome, with their histories and old world charm, and in the New World, New York, Boston, San Francisco and others with more excitement and higher quality theatres, nightlife and restaurants.
Tourists will be drawn to Ontario first by its natural blessings, its wide open spaces, forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, more plentiful and accessible than almost anywhere in the world.
There is of course a role for Toronto as a place tourists can sample man-made attractions on their way to or from the beaches and forests – not the main course, but a tasty dessert.
Toronto, which often has boasted it is a world-class city, suddenly has discovered it has limitations.
Studies have found many first-time visitors were disappointed by what they felt was a lack of attractions and repeat visitors felt there were not enough new ones.
The city has lost some of the reputation it had for being clean. Margaret Thatcher, when British prime minister and an Iron Lady not noted for handing out compliments, called it the cleanest city she ever visited.
U.K newspapers reported Torontonians carefully depositing every chewing gum wrapper in curbside bins and some downtown sidewalks being swept half-a-dozen times a day.
Now litter is more prevalent – almost like London – and a Toronto newspaper publishes a daily column identifying dangerous cracks in sidewalks and bus shelters falling apart and has no trouble filling it.
Toronto also has become widely known for shooting deaths. A year ago a newspaper in New York asked this writer to report on them, but insisted he should not visit the worst hit area, because this would be too dangerous.
Toronto unlike some European cities provides few washrooms for the public and they are not well kept. Cities get known for their washrooms.
Toronto officials suggesting residents should be more welcoming and friendly say as examples they should stop and offer help when they see someone fumbling with a map or go out of their way to explain how the subway system works. This would require a large change in attitude by many Torontonians, who are apt to look threatened and move on quickly when someone they don’t know asks them the way or time.
Most people outside Toronto are friendlier and more helpful without being asked and this is another reason more attempt should be made to steer tourists to other places.
Eric Dowd is a veteran member of the Queen’s Park press gallery.
