"Are You Talking to Me?": NYC Gives Tourists Tips!

Mayor Bloomberg unveiled a new campaign, Just Ask The Locals, "the City's first-ever five-borough marketing and advertising campaign to make visitors feel more welcome, thank them for visiting, and help them navigate New York City." The Mayor made the announcement at the new American Airlines terminal at JFK and said, "New Yorkers have always been welcoming and friendly, but not enough people around the world know it. So now we're going the extra mile to make visitors feel even more at home by offering a helpful piece of advice, an insider's tip, or just a friendly smile as they explore and enjoy all the wonderful attractions here in our City."

There will be outdoor advertising, a new tourism website (here), insider tips from celebrity residents, and even a tip card with helpful suggestions. The CityRoom has the tips:

1. Call 311 or (212) NEW-YORK for all information about the city.
2. Fifth Avenue divides Manhattan into the East Side and West Side.
3. When getting directions, always ask for the cross streets (i.e. 810 Seventh Avenue, between 52nd and 53rd Streets).
4. In Manhattan, if you walk 20 blocks north or south, you have walked one mile.
5. If the number on the top of the taxicab is lit, it means the cab is available.
6. It is customary to tip 15 to 20 percent to wait staff, bartenders and taxi drivers.
7. MetroCards work on both buses and subways, and transfers between the two are free.
8. Free wireless Internet is available at many public parks.
9. Many businesses, including pharmacies and delis, are open 24 hours.
10. Have a question about NYC? Just ask the locals, or to go to nycvisit.com.

Nice, but where is the "Do not walk more than three people wide on sidewalks" suggestion?! But the City wants to remind us that tourism is critical to the city's economy, because tourism generates $24.7 billion in revenue and supports 368,000 jobs. Without tourism, to maintain the current budget, households would need to fork over almost another $1000 in city and state taxes.

And the celebrity locals involved in the campaign are Robert De Niro, Julianne Moore, Tiki Barber, Chuck Close and Jimmy Fallon - all of whom we believe live in Manhattan. Jimmy suggests Pete's Tavern and Two Boots, Julianne says Piccolo Angolo is "so good," Chuck like the Frick...well, you get the idea.

Do you have suggestions to tourists visiting NYC? What are they?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on August 29, 2007 6:11 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

www.AskaNewYorker.com has been doing this for the last 6 years. Go figure.

guest

No Wal-mart Super Centers there? Damn! Think I can get a refund on my plane tickets? I wanted to see a real New York Wal-Mart.

guest

Do not take pictures of your family in front of the WTC basin. It makes me die a little inside. The people selling the 9/11 crap are sad, but they understand that they are scavengers and are usually destitute. The mid-western fanny pack clad family taking a photo in front of the fence makes me want to find a quiet bar and have a drink at 8:15 am. Photos of the basin should be like Richard Avedon's photo of Andy Warhol's scars. Show some respect; step lightly.

This is the photo I speak of.

guest

I work in midtown a block away from Macys. The tourist pack mentality is such a flippin' nuisance, the pace they walk at etc etc. One time, after being forced to brusquely pass such a group, one of them made a snarky "rude New Yorker" remark towards me. I stopped and nicely asked if they drove to work everyday. They replied yes. I said "If you were late for work, how would you like it if you were in the fast lane and I was a car in front of you going 30 mph and you had no way to pass me?...the sidewalks are a New Yorker's "freeways", and your group is like a wide load trailer taking up 3 lanes going 15 miles per hour" After they cracked up and apologized, I explained the proper way to navigate the sidewalks. And they had a story to tell when they got home about what the "rude New Yorker" said.

guest

It's fun to read all these comments from my tourist's point of view. :-) It seems some (most?) of you are angry about the tourists, but out on the street I always found New Yorkers very helpful. Thanks you all for that!

davidinmanhattan

"Do you have suggestions to tourists visiting NYC? What are they?"

Since you asked...

(1) NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2007 now through Labor Day.

(2) 20at20: Excellent Off-Broadway shows that will sell you tickets 20 minutes before curtain time, for $20!

(3) The gay thing. Yes, there are a lot of us here. Yes, we hold hands and kiss in public. No, we don’t all live in Chelsea. No, not all waiters are gay. Yes, all waiters are actors. (OK, not true. But a lot of waiters are actors.)

(4) Taxi drivers: Talk to them. They know more about this city, and are far more intelligent than most people think. Half of them listen to NPR all day long.

(5) Walk faster. Please. We know where we are, where we’re going, and we’re late.

(Shameless self promotion below:)

All of the above, and more, can be found on my blog:

david in manhattan, where I write about Art, Architecture, Culture, Design, and Technology. And Politics. In Manhattan.

dadoc

It's nice to know the people with bad attitudes are not on the street interacting with others, but venting their inadequacies on their laptops.

How about trying to show a little humanity, a little basic human politeness. For the "bad-attitudes", maybe if you did you'd have a little nicer time living in this city.

And maybe, just maybe, some thread can not involve the radical cyclists.

In Re: # 32: You ever think your gonna pull that stuff when I'm walkin the bridge with my kids, you may want to reconsider such thoughts in advance because you won't have time while accelerating @32ft/sec2 toward our lovely East River to wonder how I shoved that whole composite frame THRU your Lycra shorts & where the sun don't shine.

You have been informed!

Yeah, I'm from Brooklyn.

Deal with.

Dadoc

robingee

As New Yorkers, we should make sure that we are all a-holes to everyone, so that the hardcore rep of our precious city doesn't get tarnished! Hey jerks! What are you doin, lookin at the Empire State Building? Dork!

guest

face it,

new yorkers are assholes,

especially the fukkin

idiots who drive or on bikes

guest

1. I don't understand...now that we have "the internet," I can extensively research any vacation destination so that asking directions is a LAST resort. Why is this difficult for others?

2. God yes, I HATE, "how do you get to Ground Zero?"

3. Tell you what...I'll give you directions only if you PROMISE not to ask them as I'm crossing the street, or during the walk signal as I approach the intersection. You must also remember that the left "lane" on the escalator is for moving, not standing. This is the way they do it in the rest of the world (as least from what I've seen), so please adhere to this rule.

Reality Czech

I don't see how seeing Jimmy Fallon or Robert De Niro's face at the airport is going to ease the frustration of waiting in line forever or rude customs officials?

Reflect

Wonder when those double decker busses will start cruzing through the South Bronx and Bedstuy Brooklyn. After all we want to show how this city is the greatest city in the world.

guest

beware and do not associate with people who don't look like you.

oh wait, they already practice this rule.

there are no Wal-mart Super Centers here.

You will be walking so don't bitch

your fat ass needs some excercise

guest

11. Wallets go in the front pockets.

12. Don't go anywhere near a three card monte game

13. If someone approaches you on the street and wants to sell you something. Respond with a no-thanks and walk away. If it sounds too good to be true, it most always is that way.

14. Always get a receipt from the taxi driver.

15. When a store has a sign that says "going out of business sale" it means they have been going out of business for the last twenty years.

16. If you are alone at night and a bit wasted, opt for the cab. It doesn't work out too well if you fall asleep on the subway, miss your stop, get lost, etc...

17. The best bars and restaurants are most often not in the heavy tourist areas. Do your homework or ask a local. You will have a better meal/drink and spend less money.

18. Don't even think about breaking in new shoes when you visit this City. You will be doing a lot of walking. Always wear comfortable shoes.

mfib

I'm just glad someone finally got Tiki out of his shell.

I thought that boy would NEVER have anything vapid to say.

Thank God for this.

guest

oh hello american joe. which way to hamburger, hotdog stand?

JRod5417

I don't think tourists need help getting around. I've worked near Times Square for years and have never been asked. Besides, how lost can you get if you never get off a double decker bus and stay within a ten block radius of your hotel?

JMH

3. When getting directions, always ask for the cross streets (i.e. 810 Seventh Avenue, between 52nd and 53rd Streets).
One would think the New York Times would know the difference between "i.e." and "e.g."

guest

HOW DO I GET TO 9/11?

guest

the mayor doesn't get it...

Regular New Yorkers don't benefit from all this tourist action. Big chain retailers do benefit, however. Long-time neighborhood stores & mom-and-pop places are fast disappearing and being replaced with the same tired group of retailers in every neighborhood that cater to specifically to outsiders tastes and needs.

And do we really need even MORE bumper-to-bumper double-decker tour buses spewing choking fumes as they crawl down Bleeker Street??? If you want to see New York, get off your fat ass and walk like we do, or stay home and watch re-runs of "Friends."