January 29, 2007
Survey Says
Think you've got a better slogan than "Celebrate and Discover" to describe our fair city? Chances are you do and the D.C. Convention & Tourism Corporation wants to hear it. They've launched a new campaign to find out what we Washingtonians think makes the city great. Over at Share Your DC you can take a quick survey asking what you think are the city's greatest people, places and events along with advice you'd give to travellers from far and wide. Visitors to the site can also upload photos and get e-mail updates on the project.
All this is part of an initiative to create a compelling brand for a city that already hosts 15 million tourists a year. (It's unclear whether this figure includes the hordes of summer interns that descend on the city as the temperatures rise. We imagine a survey of locals about those visitors would yield very different results.)
The idea that visitors can be lured away from the Mall and its alluring array of over-priced FBI sweatshirts is an ambitious one. Will a family from Sioux City make it to Eastern Market, or dine on Ethiopian food on U Street? We'd like to think so. It may be overly optimistic, but the more people learn about Washington as a city with its own thriving culture and citizenry, the more they'll spread the word and maybe even tell their Congressmen about some of the 600,000 people they met with absolutely no voting rights.
The tourism corporation is also picking up on a novel idea recently employed by several government agencies: The best way to find out what folks think is to ask them. Last year DCRA circulated a survey about street vendors and the people spoke. They wanted more street eats, and they wanted them now. Soon new licenses became available for all sorts of food carts and in all sorts of neighborhoods. Similarly, the Department of Transportation is currently hosting a survey about new multi-space parking meters.
Will this direct appeal to Washingtonians work? Even though participation won't result in a tasty cart full 'o fried food being stationed outside your office, it might be worth the time to ask yourself: What do you love about D.C.?
Photo by Flickr user alex.DC.
|
Oh my God, the possibilities are endless.
"DC: Not nearly as many murders as the 90's!"
"D.C., We're all just visiting for a while"
or
"D.C., How do I get back to 66 West?"
or
"D.C., At least we're not Detroit"
or
"Highly educated, and cross da river we's po two"
We should definitely use an acronym:
DC: NCSE (northern charm, southern efficiency)
DC: LRDTLA (less racially divided than LA)
DC: FDATNYC (fewer Duke alumni than NYC)
DC: TJOU (the joke's on us)
DC: TANPMACS (there are no problems more acronmyms cannot solve)
DC: SOTRWOTLM (stand on the right, walk on the left, moron!)
DCTBSMU
Welcome to Washington: Your money is welcome here.
Oh you need directions? Sure. Take the yellow line to National airport and GO BACK TO KANSAS.
DC: NQAVAUOTAS (not quite as violent an undemocratic occupied territory as Iraq)
er... NQAVAUOTAI
Or, DC:CHIOGZ (Capitol Hill is our Greenzone)
DC: The Status Quo is Spectacular!
or
DC...Only in the Northwest.
DC: The Bitch Set Me Up!
I can't believe that wasn't #1
DC. the little city Dat Couldn't.
this is fun:
I'm finishing up "Imperial Life in the Emerald City" such a great read.
Capital Hill, or "The Hill People" as is overheard in common circles, really is its own Green Zone isn't it. Wonkaland for the Hill People.
come on, Hill Rat, it was my last one!
[slapping forehead] D'oh!
DC: Get aimed.
"Five T-shirts for $10"
"You Dont Have to Be Crazy to Live Here, But It Helps" next to a big picture of Gilbert.
"Birthplace of Mumbo Sauce"
"10 minute Delay in Both Directions"
ad the old classic - "D.C. Don't Stand For Dodge City"
Overpriced FBI sweatshirts? I bought those for my niece and nephews at 2/$10. How much less expensive should they be?
DC: It's street by street, really.
DC: Lookin' good in the rearview mirror.
DC: I just work here.
DC: Metro Area Now Includes Baltimore