Toronto – a City with Low Self-Esteem
I have been working with the tourism industry in Toronto lately, and in some of my research, talk has turned to how Toronto does not have an identity. New York, Miami, Chicago – those are destination cities with a distinct feel – but Toronto… not so much.
It is a shame that even people who live in Toronto don’t know that we are the 5th largest city on this continent – in order it is: Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, TORONTO! Yet, Torontonians only start loving their celebrities when they are accepted in LA, or the latest hotel restaurant when it is loved by Film Festival starlets.
The usual pattern of Marketing for tourism is first to make it popular locally, then regionally, then nationally, then internationally. But, unfortunately for Toronto – things first have to be accepted internationally before we will accept it ourselves. Like a low-self-esteem person, Toronto is looking for approval from the outside before finding it on the inside. Let’s raise our self-esteem and enjoy our beautiful city!
Having lived in Toronto I would say that I never thought much of it, but this is a good analogy. I like it.
Thanks – at first I wasn’t sure if it was a Canadian thing or a Toronto thing – but a city like Montreal DOES have a sense of itself and a proud local culture.