Jim Diodati responds to survey referring to Niagara Falls as a "tourist trap"
Niagara Falls mayor Jim Diodati is speaking out after a recent survey referred to the city as a "tourist trap."
A recent poll by vacation rental company Casago listed Niagara Falls as the worst tourist trap in Canada, and one of the biggest in the world.
In it's 2023 report, the company defines "tourist traps" as "establishments that target tourists with overpriced experiences and souvenirs."
However, Diodati says bringing tourists into gift shops is great for the tourism industry.
"It's just good business in my opinion. It's practiced all over the world, from the Eiffel Tower to Disney, and the list goes on and on. Of course after an attraction you go into a gift shop. It makes perfect business sense."
The survey comes shortly after the city placed fourth in a Comparethemarket report listing the top bucket list destinations in the world.
Diodati also says he's optimistic about this year's tourism season in Niagara.
He notes domestic tourism reached pre-pandemic levels last year, thanks to the province's staycation tax credit, and the area can also expect more foreign visitors this year now that the ArriveCan app requirement has been removed.
"We've got some major campaigns going on targeting the U.S., with the favourable exchange rate for the U.S. dollar, and the fact that Americans love Canada. They love coming here, and many of them haven't been here in a few years. We expect 2023 to be a solid tourism year for Niagara Falls."
The mayor adds it's easy to criticize as this website has done, but since Niagara Falls has so much going for it, he's not losing any sleep over this.
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