Atlanta sucks according to Travel + Leisure Magazine (Martin: homes, casinos)

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by afonega1

I love Atlanta and overall people are very friendly.Its when you go to the Airport thats the ATTITUDE CENTRAL.I know that there was a push to make the people in the Airport more customer service friendly.It died a quick death it seems.There are too many people that work in city and county goverment that are rude as well.My French friends find it refreshing because it reminds them of home!!LOL.Among the general population though, people smile when you walk by,open the door for a stranger.Atlanta although wile not as diverse, is little like Miami ;its no longer typically "southern".The further in the suburbs going extreme north or south,people are extremely friendly.That said Atlanta is no more rude as people in NYC,Chicago or Boston.I think because Atlanta is a southern city, in most peoples mind,it is still expected to have that famous southern hospitality .

You have some rather good points ... and I applaud your conviction to your perception and beliefs regarding the City of Atlanta.

I truly wish there were more of you. Your optimism I believe is genuine and can commend you for that most definately.

However I simply don't see the demonstrated social graces that you've stated that are inherent to the area. I see people here as very 'mean-spirited' .. whereas the other 3 cities you mentioned ... I don't?

And you know truthfully ... without the airport under it's wing [no pun] that the City of Atlanta would long be "out of business". That's their piggy-bank!

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by chip1980

Most of the people in Atl airport are traveling so most of them arent even from the metro Atlanta, they are connecting to other flights. Most of the rude people in Atlanta are the yankees that keep moving to Atlanta. Nothing you can really do to improve an image when people automatically think of Atlanta in a certain way. Just like someone posted a thread saying Atlanta should be ranked #1 in crime in 2007 with 129 murders when it wasnt even close to being #1 with cities like Bmore having close to 300 murders and DC having close to 200 murders. Not even counting New Orleans or Detroit. Black women who arent from Atlanta will continue to say Atlanta isnt a place to marry when its plenty of single blk man in Atlanta available. They might not be driving a new car but its plenty of them around. Yankees will continue to view Atlanta as racist when its just as much racism in the north...Most Americans are dumb, they will believe anything seen on tv.

You do have some rather good points, although I truly wish you [and others] would stop "name-calling". Labeling other people is socially wrong just like using a racial epithet. That is simply "not nice" and diminishes credibility which I don't believe is your intention. Obviously you wouldn't enjoy being labeled yourself, right?

Yes people do project their own "misgivings" or negative perceptions in their own backyard to other places. Doesn't always mean their correct, right? Gracefully introduce the correct statistical info and you've done your part!

I see polls and surveys is another way of personal improvement and growth, regardless of anyone else's shortcomings, lack of social graces or whatnot. Not as a destructive criticism.

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by AK123

I've never trusted this T&L list either, and the examples you give are good reasons. When Houston actually used to be on the list (they removed it to make room for Austin of all places I suppose) it ranked low on everything. Even in categories that other lists (like Forbes) had it high on.

T&L is obviously based on perceptions. Not real data or rankings by real experts. The only purpose the T&L list serves IMO is to see how well (or poorly) people perceive these cities. Some cities get much more good publicity over others, but that doesn't change the facts. So take it with a big grain of salt.

Un huh. NO, incorrect. I participated in a T&L traveler's survey several years ago. These are actual survey questions that are "across the board" and each category is 'weighted', specific areas are noted ... given "points" and averaged out.

It's like a 'mystery shopper' ... where set questions are answered based upon the survey takers experience, reaction and their overall perception. T&L employs not only foreign visitors, local and domestic. Local residents also contribute to the data collected.

Their data is not someone's money-making scheme for marketing analysis or promoting a specific area. The everyday public traveler collected the data for this survey. Think there were 125k+ people that participated. Here's a MSNBC URL about the survey:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26674900/?GT1=43001 (broken link)

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by rswlguy

You have some rather good points ... and I applaud your conviction to your perception and beliefs regarding the City of Atlanta.

I truly wish there were more of you. Your optimism I believe is genuine and can commend you for that most definately.

However I simply don't see the demonstrated social graces that you've stated that are inherent to the area. I see people here as very 'mean-spirited' .. whereas the other 3 cities you mentioned ... I don't?

And you know truthfully ... without the airport under it's wing [no pun] that the City of Atlanta would long be "out of business". That's their piggy-bank!

I guess that what i'm saying is,many of the people that do not exemplify the southern hospitality behavior are simply not from here.Im an ex-suburbanite.I feel that people who live in the city tend to be happier and more fulfilled.In the suburbs everyone is trying to keep up with there neighbor.Its all smiles but people out there are just waiting for you to fall.Those crazy rude drivers are usually coming from the suburbs to work and shop.In the city (unless you live in Buckhead),people don't care where you live as much.People from the suburb stress out over someone putting a satelite dish in the wrong place.Yes i know i will get from suburbanites but I lived it,and my family members still do and its only my opinion.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by rswlguy

Un huh. NO, incorrect. I participated in a T&L traveler's survey several years ago. These are actual survey questions that are "across the board" and each category is 'weighted', specific areas are noted ... given "points" and averaged out.

It's like a 'mystery shopper' ... where set questions are answered based upon the survey takers experience, reaction and their overall perception. T&L employs not only foreign visitors, local and domestic. Local residents also contribute to the data collected.

Their data is not someone's money-making scheme for marketing analysis or promoting a specific area. The everyday public traveler collected the data for this survey. Think there were 125k+ people that participated. Here's a MSNBC URL about the survey:
Survey: Miami residents most attractive - Life - MSNBC.com (broken link)

Like I said, it's based primarily on perceptions right? Not expert opinion/analysis.

For example, several food publications have rated Houston in the top handful of the country's best restaurant cities. I would suspect there was a lot more thought and analysis put into those lists than the T&L list (perceptions of business travelers who were primarily on the freeways and stopping to eat near their hotel? Because they are not aware of excellent food scene and don't know where these places are since Houston does not promote itself as well as places like NYC, SF etc.)

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

We have to be realistic. Atlanta has never been considered a "destination city", other than for convention goers. When families across the U.S. are trying to plan their vacation trips, I doubt that the topic, "Hey, I know, lets go to Atlanta!" comes up. We're not alone in that though, but we do have to face the fact that we're not a Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Hollywood, or Orlando. People do not come to Atlanta specifically to have "fun" - they pass through the airport, or attend a convention for the most part.

Not that I consider Travel and Leisure anything worth reading (a "yawn" type of magazine that's mostly ads, anyway), but their article for the most part was realistic. I do think that whole PEOPLE section was just a waste of space, though. I'm not sure how you actually gauge how attractive, Intelligent, or friendly people are in an area, though. I think it would be hard for ANY city to rank that low in real life.

Excellent post and good points. I completely agree with what you wrote. Atlanta is NOT a destination city, and never has been. It might be with more work in the future, but I agree. No family planning on a typical vacation living in Missouri, Texas, or Colorado will say to their kids "hey, wanna head to Atlanta this year??" *chirp chirp*...unfortunately no.
Atlanta is known outside of Atlanta, for being a convention city, a bustling airport city, a growing city, and a city for lower-cost living and good jobs. I bet 80% of people couldn't name an Atlanta attraction outside of sports teams.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Excellent post and good points. I completely agree with what you wrote. Atlanta is NOT a destination city, and never has been. It might be with more work in the future, but I agree. No family planning on a typical vacation living in Missouri, Texas, or Colorado will say to their kids "hey, wanna head to Atlanta this year??" *chirp chirp*...unfortunately no.
Atlanta is known outside of Atlanta, for being a convention city, a bustling airport city, a growing city, and a city for lower-cost living and good jobs. I bet 80% of people couldn't name an Atlanta attraction outside of sports teams.

So you are saying no one would know that CNN,,Martin Luther KIng hr,Coca Cola, or even The Aquarium?Gone With the Wind?Nationwide not as much travel to Atlanta but regional yes.Within Georgia and the surrounding states,there is alot of coming in the city for just tourism and shopping.I grew up in South Georgia.I know when my parents would bring us up all the time for fun.

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by rswlguy

And you know truthfully ... without the airport under it's wing [no pun] that the City of Atlanta would long be "out of business". That's their piggy-bank!

Acutally airport revenues are completely seperate from the city's general budget. That piggy bank doesn't leave the airport.

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by J2rescue

Acutally airport revenues are completely seperate from the city's general budget. That piggy bank doesn't leave the airport.

That's the first time I've heard that (in 18 years I've been here). Where then, does the City of Atlanta derive most income from? Taxes?

Also ... if you're correct ... then why doesn't the City of Atlanta reliquish ALL control over the airport? If no airport income benefits the City of Atlanta, then turn it over to a Metro (multi-county) commssion that can oversee it's budget and spending?

[kayrob]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Excellent post and good points. I completely agree with what you wrote. Atlanta is NOT a destination city, and never has been. It might be with more work in the future, but I agree. No family planning on a typical vacation living in Missouri, Texas, or Colorado will say to their kids "hey, wanna head to Atlanta this year??" *chirp chirp*...unfortunately no.
Atlanta is known outside of Atlanta, for being a convention city, a bustling airport city, a growing city, and a city for lower-cost living and good jobs. I bet 80% of people couldn't name an Atlanta attraction outside of sports teams.

Nah, not the sports teams. They might be an attraction when certain visiting teams come to town but anyone can tell you that this is a terrible Pro sports town.