City survey results out this month
By JAMIE WETHERBE Special to the Daily Press
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles is far from the “City of Angels” moniker used to describe the second largest city in the country, according to tourists.
In fact, they think the locals here are downright rude.
Nearly half a million people ranked LA out of 25 U.S. cities as the least friendly place to visit — behind New York, Miami and Washington, D.C., according to an online survey released this month.
“I’m not surprised,” said Yossi Langer, the online editor at Travel + Leisure, which conducted the survey with AOL. LA was at the bottom of the list for friendliness in 2003’s survey as well.
LA’s perceived unfriendliness could rub off on Santa Monica’s image and possibly damage its economy.
The city hosts nearly 4 million visitors each year, which brings Santa Monica about $800 million annually. There also are 11,500 people working in tourism-based jobs here.
As Santa Monica gears up for the summer season, officials said the survey serves as a reminder for Santa Monicans to mind their manners.
“While we’re a part of LA, we’re apart from LA,” said Misti Kerns, executive director of the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau. “For the most part, people (in Santa Monica) like to share their community.”
Those visiting Santa Monica last week said they found the city to be a friendly place, as long as they remained on foot.
“The traffic … it’s a little bit wild,” said a tourist from Brazil who’s been visiting Santa Monica for 15 years. “People fight for their space on the freeway like they’re fighting for their lives.”
Another tourist agreed. “I think (Santa Monica) is pretty friendly,” said a first-time visitor from Chicago, but “not as friendly as Chicago.”
Midwestern cities also didn’t rank high on the friendly list.
Nashville, Honolulu and San Antonio were the top three cities for friendly locals.
For about a month last fall, the survey appeared on AOL. Survey participants voted on cities they lived in or had visited in various categories — including top places to honeymoon, people-watch, and the most stylish and most attractive people. LA didn’t rank in the top three in any of the 12 categories.
Complete results of the survey will appear in this month’s Travel + Leisure Magazine.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 26, 2004. Read the original PDF.