Their timing was fabulous.
Tourism folks from Meet Boston and VISIT FLORIDA, along with Elite Sports Tours, gathered in Toronto this week and treated a few lucky media and travel people to box seats for the Toronto Blue Jays.
As a former baseball writer for the Toronto Star who covered the team for six years, attending at least 600-700 games, I always love a night at the ballpark. To be at games when the Jays are in the thick of a pennant race, like they are now, is doubly exciting.
The home side didn’t fare well in the Boston game, but last night’s contest against Tampa Bay was a (narrow) win that sent everyone home happy, and kept the Jays tied for the lead in the American League East with two games left in the regular season.
Meet Boston is getting active again in the Canadian market, and simply wanted to meet with the media to let us know they’d love to welcome us when we’re ready to visit. They’re well aware of the political controversies that have kept many Canadians from visiting the States, but they’re obviously hoping that fades with time.
Thanks to Meet Boston and DCI (Development Counsellors International) for the Wednesday game invite!
I haven’t been to Boston since 2013, but I’ve had the pleasure of visiting several times, both as a travel writer and a Star sports guy covering both baseball and some basketball. It’s an outstanding city with so much to offer, including fine food, cool neighborhoods like the North End, Beacon Hill, Cambridge and Back Bay, and great sports arenas such as Fenway Park, a glorious ballpark that’s home to the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (who, like the Jays, have clinched a playoff spot).
Boston, Massachusetts. Ozzie Stern/Unsplash Photo
My wife and I had a great boat ride around Boston Harbor on our visit and got to check out a cool lighthouse on Little Brewster Island. Here’s a link to a Toronto Star story I wrote about our visit in 2013.
The Friday night Jays’ game was hosted by VISIT FLORIDA, which handles tourism for the state, VoX International media relations, and Elite Sports Tours, which is a great service for Canadians looking to buy tickets for baseball, football, hockey and basketball games, as well as events such as the World Cup (there are games in Toronto next year) and the Olympics.
Florida is one of North America’s premier destinations for sports fans. In addition to hosting the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays, the Sunshine State is also home to the NBA’s Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, and MLS powerhouses Inter Miami CF and Orlando City SC. From iconic motorsport events like the Daytona 500 to world-class golf courses, Florida offers experiences that extend far beyond the stadium, making it an ideal destination where the thrill of sports and travel come together.
Elite Sports Tours, VISIT FLORIDA and VoX International representatives at the Jays’ game.
Earlier this year, Elite Sports Tours launched its Sports Travel Agent Network, giving Canadian travel agencies and independent advisors the tools to sell curated sports and concert travel packages to their clients. With exclusive inventory across the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA, and major concert tours, the network simplifies sports travel sales by bundling tickets, accommodations, and flights with commission and booking support included.
I’m not a fan of some of the political decisions being made these days in Florida (or the U.S. as a whole), but I don’t blame U.S. destinations for coming north to remind Canadians about the great things to see and do in the States. It’s their job to keep their destinations top of mind, which helps support vital jobs at hotels, restaurants, attractions, airlines, and other areas. Tourism is a huge economic driver, and many of the jobs in the industry are held by women, visible minorities and students.
SAN FRANCISCO TOURISM REBOUND
As a native of the SF Bay Area, I was pleased to read that San Francisco tourism is doing well. It’s been a rough couple of years, but Travel Weekly reports things are on the upswing.
“The city has seen a strong hotel performance so far this year, even as many other major U.S. destinations struggle with softening demand, according to CoStar data,” the publication stated this week. “Year to date through July, RevPAR (revenue per available room; a standard measurement in the hotel biz) in the San Francisco/San Mateo market was up 8.8%, to around $154, making it the fastest-growing destination among all top 25 U.S. markets.
A cable car in San Francisco. Suzanne-Emily-O’Connor-Unsplash Photo
Travel Weekly reports that the head of San Francisco Travel, Anna Marie Presutti said the city has made significant efforts to crack down on issues related to crime and public safety, including increasing police presence in key commercial districts and introducing “entertainment zones” designed to encourage foot traffic and business activity.
In early September, the office of San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie reported that crime in the city was down nearly 30% year to date.
I was in San Francisco in January and again in May and had no issues at all. We took three of our grandkids to the Ferry Building for great food and to Pier 39 to the sea lions. We also took them on cable car rides, and they loved it.
Here’s a post from our January visit.
