Do people in Houston do anything besides go out to eat? (Galveston: university, exemptions)

[Pine to Vine]

Houston is not competitive with other national cities for tourist dollars. It doesn’t offer attractive physical built and natural environments and its climate is oppressive much of the year (save me any comments about a subtropical paradise). It has a great cultural and entertainment scene, but not one strong enough to entice people to fly halfway across the country. Same goes for shopping.

Rather than try to market itself as a national tourist destination, Houston can promote itself as a regional destination. I could see people from Beaumont, Victoria and Austin making the trek to Houston for a few days of theatre and music, visits to several museums, attend a professional sports event and squeeze in some high-end shopping. Unlike people drawn to LA or Chicago, these are offerings that people within a few hours of Houston can’t get at home. The money spent by a family from Victoria is just as good as any money from farther-flung places.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

Houston is not competitive with other national cities for tourist dollars. It doesn’t offer attractive physical built and natural environments and its climate is oppressive much of the year (save me any comments about a subtropical paradise). It has a great cultural and entertainment scene, but not one strong enough to entice people to fly halfway across the country. Same goes for shopping.

Rather than try to market itself as a national tourist destination, Houston can promote itself as a regional destination. I could see people from Beaumont, Victoria and Austin making the trek to Houston for a few days of theatre and music, visits to several museums, attend a professional sports event and squeeze in some high-end shopping. Unlike people drawn to LA or Chicago, these are offerings that people within a few hours of Houston can’t get at home. The money spent by a family from Victoria is just as good as any money from farther-flung places.

Good comment. It should be noted that New Orleans and Savannah overcame climatic tourism challenges similar to Houston's by offering spectacular built environments and one-of-a-kind cultural scenes. Neither of which can be built in Houston in the short term; it will take incremental changes over a long period. Austin became such a destination only recently after decades of incubating its appeal.

And before anyone says, we can also rule out having an amusement park. Amusement parks need summers, and who would bring someone from across the country to go to an amusement park in Houston in July? Ugh.

Look, Houston is sandwiched between New Orleans and San Antonio. As far as tourism goes, it will always be in their shadows. It should promote itself as a great place for those doing the I-10 tourism route to spend a couple days.

[Samiamj]

For me, what makes a great city to visit such as New Orleans and Savannah and Chicago and New York is the walkability.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by Samiamj

For me, what makes a great city to visit such as New Orleans and Savannah and Chicago and New York is the walkability.

Yes, and Houston is (very) slowly working towards this, but we have a long way to go (other than Downtown and Midtown). It takes evolution and redevelopment of both the public infrastructure and private buildings.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Samiamj

For me, what makes a great city to visit such as New Orleans and Savannah and Chicago and New York is the walkability.

A city is walkable when a city invest in providing walkable areas instead of trying to sell every single square foot to the highest bidder.

[PinkLadyK]

Sure we do. I eat at home most nights.

[Vicman]

Portland's was also a lot older - Chinatowns back then had a different style - and those old ones were always focused on tourism to make money. Therefore they played up exoticism.

Also if you go to Hong Kong you see the old Chinatown style.

Even in Mainland China there are paifangs around....

Originally Posted by SugLandDAd

To some extent I believe that's what the recent national Buzz about Houston is about.......it doesn't try too hard to sell itself to you, and I believe that appeals to a segment of the marketing-weary hipster population who sees themselves searching for "real" experiences. Do you need a concrete pagoda style gateway to know that you are in "Asia Town"? or do you just need to open your eyes and look around?

Portland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinat...tePortland.jpg

Houston

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fossilmike/4759810626

[kemahkami]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Look, Houston is sandwiched between New Orleans and San Antonio. As far as tourism goes, it will always be in their shadows. It should promote itself as a great place for those doing the I-10 tourism route to spend a couple days.

Nah, Houston is a city with no limits.

Originally Posted by Dopo

A city is walkable when a city invest in providing walkable areas instead of trying to sell every single square foot to the highest bidder.

A city is also walkable if it allows the code to accomodate for design. Minimums for parking, setback, and road width will not help in that.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by ScrappyJoe

Nah, Houston is a city with no limits.



A city is also walkable if it allows the code to accomodate for design. Minimums for parking, setback, and road width will not help in that.

Why doesn't city council exempt Downtown, Midtown, Montrose, Heights, et al from that code?

[kemahkami]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Why doesn't city council exempt Downtown, Midtown, Montrose, Heights, et al from that code?

Those areas are actually exempt. But that code needs to be eliminated from the entire city in order for true walkability to start taking effect.