Bronx

Re-Branding the Bronx: Part 2

Published June 5, 2013 | By Clark Norton

White-cheeked Gibbons in the Bronx Zoo — photo from Bronx Zoo

In a previous post on Re-Branding the Bronx, I talked about the challenges of finding ways to combat the “bad first impression,” as one image consultant put it, that many people have had about the Bronx in the past. When tourists decide where to spend their time in New York City, how many of them are scared off by lingering Bronx images of crime, abandoned burned cars, and Bonfire-of-the-Vanities-meets-Fort Apache-style scary neighborhoods?

Well, it’s a new day in the northernmost borough of the city, so let me reiterate some of the reasons to love the Bronx:

The Bronx Zoo — one of the world’s finest.

The Botanical Gardens — flowers and plants galore near the zoo, a great place to wander.

Wave Hill — overlooking the Hudson, this estate may be be the most peaceful spot in all of… Continue reading →

Re-Branding the Bronx

Published June 3, 2013 | By Clark Norton

Hanging out at the Bronx Zoo. Photo from Bronxzoo.com

As a former resident of the Bronx — albeit on idyllic City Island, which is more like a New England fishing village than a big-city neighborhood — I recommend this piece in today’s New York Times about the challenges of “fighting the image of the ‘burning’ borough,” as the Times headline puts it.

Not surprisingly, considering its history, the Bronx has a branding problem when it comes to attracting visitors and their cash. Those of us of baby boomer age most likely have three key associations if we hear the words “the Bronx”: “the Bronx Bombers” (the Yankees and Yankee Stadium); the Bronx Zoo; and “Fort Apache, The Bronx” — the 1970s film depicting a scary, crime-and-grime-ridden borough that probably scared off more tourists than King Kong.

And yet, the Bronx does have its share of attractions, something that I wrote… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Cities | Tagged baby boomer travel, baby boomers, branding, Bronx, City Island, the Bronx | 1 Comment

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.