Frommer's puts Portland among top sites to see
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By DAVID HENCH, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald Wednesday, November 29, 2006
FROMMER'S TOP DESTINATIONS
1. Krakow, Poland
2. Tokyo
3. Minneapolis
4. Panama
5. Asheville, N.C.
6. Ethiopia
7. Portland, Oregon
8. Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
9. Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
10. Glen Canyon, Utah
11. Zurich, Switzerland
12. Portland, Maine
Portland has joined the likes of Tokyo and Zurich, Switzerland, as a must-see destination for world travelers, at least according to Frommer's, publisher of a series of highly acclaimed travel guides.
On Tuesday, the company announced its top 12 world travel destinations for 2007. Portland is ranked No. 12 on the list, recognized for its culture and restaurants and the ease of exploring the city on foot.
The ranking, and the publicity that will come from being promoted in various guidebooks, should give tourism here a boost, city and tourism officials said.
"Frommer's is a premier tourism and travel guide, and it certainly should increase the awareness of our destination around the world," said Barbara Whitten, president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Portland. "We've been on the top ten, top five or top three list for a wide variety of things. This is another affirmation and a great distinction for us."
The list was compiled by the guidebooks' authors and experts and reflects a mix of "surprising, thriving or emerging" travel destinations.
Portland has some pretty heady company.
Portland's waterfront and trail network shares billing with the Caribbean getaway of Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands, and with the ancient city of Krakow, Poland. Closer to home there's the Smoky Mountain town of Asheville, N.C., and that other city with the same name: Portland, Ore.
Deborah Wakefield, spokeswoman for the Portland Oregon Visitors Association, said she expects the listing to boost visits.
"We see a lot of visitors who walk into our visitors center with either a guidebook or a newspaper in hand," she said. "I know the power of the press is very influential in travel decisions. People just have so many choices. There are so many places to go; a lot of time you need that mention in a list or article to push people over the fence to your destination."
The description of Portland, Maine, is almost gushing.
"A university town (Bowdoin and U Maine) and burgeoning retirement location, Portland has a fantastic mix of culture and education," according to the statement released by the guidebooks company. The statement also praised "an impressive amount of first-rate restaurants," citing Fore Street by name and noting that others are mentioned regularly in Gourmet magazine's list of top restaurants.
A bit of the description gets lost in translation, however, as it cites the excellent indoor farmers' market -- an apparent reference to the now-defunct Portland Public Market -- and a jogging trail that "stretches to nearby Brunswick."
"Eventually we would love to have interconnectedness up to Brunswick," said City Manager Joe Gray. "We're very proud of what we do have. The fact they may have just embellished the trail doesn't take away from the significance of them recognizing the uniqueness of the city."
Whitten said the bureau works frequently with Frommer's writers, checking facts for the guides, so she's surprised such a prestigious list would include such noticeable gaffes.
"I was disappointed, quite honestly, with the misinformation, but all of it is good," she said. "This is the premier travel resource for people around the world."
Staff Writer David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
dhench@pressherald.com
Reader comments
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Patrick of Portland, ME
Lets get something straightened out: Portland ranked in at #12 not for the entire world, but for those destinations in the worlds that were "surprising, thriving or emerging travel destinations."
Portland is "surprisingly" vibrant and healthy for a city of its size. Some have said that it doesn't hold a candle to similarly sized cities across America. But one need only look to our south and west to see how wrong that is. Lynn, MA; Lawrence, MA; Framingham, MA; Manchester, NH; Nashua, NH.....tell me, who amongst you would choose one of those municipalities over Portland. Every city has problems, so do we, but most of ours, thankfully, are with city government, not with the city as it is experienced on foot while vacationing.
Portland is also an "emerging" travel market, as is evidenced by all the money being dumped into upgrading our eastern waterfront. Oceangateway, etc. Also, it is drawing retired individuals from all across the country to come here, as is evidenced by the huge interest in potential condo developers over the last year and a half...most of their units have been aimed at empty-nesters. Everything the article said was true, it was just off base with Brunswick (and who cares about Brunswick, anyway? not like if it were closer we would be better off...) and about our Farmer's market, which came after Portland was already great. Is Portland the best city to live in? perhaps not. But to visit, it offers a ton of things to do for the vacationer. wouldn't you all agree?
JLB of Windham, ME
Nov 29, 2006 10:56 AM
Sue of Portland,
Wow!!! "Talking Heads" and "learning disabled"?? How condescending of you!!!
FYI...being the highest taxed state in the union is not something Maine should be proud of; therefore, we the people are "victims of our own government".
Another fyi...there needs to be a balance between national franchises and local businesses for a community to sustain healthy growth. Take an economics course; and while you're at it, get a reality check.
hahaha of Standish, Me
Nov 29, 2006 10:16 AM
Thomas of Portland.....too funny.....Loudon, I love it.
Rob Tabor of Portland, ME
Nov 29, 2006 10:09 AM
Go to Ethiopia where AIDS is running wild and a "very high" risk of catching an infectious disease according to the CIA World Factbook page on it? Oh yeah, 50% of men and 35% of women can read so choose carefully who to contact when your body is shutting down from illness. Being the transit hub for heroin and cocaine is quite a selling point as well. Frommer's should fire the people that put this list together.
Tim of South Portland, me
Nov 29, 2006 10:04 AM
Those of you who continue to ramble about Maine's leaders not working to create a positive environment for the people of Maine must have missed the recent election results... Fortunately, your cynical attitudes were (once again) represented only by a minority of the voters. The unfortunate thing is that only 3 weeks after the election, you continue to spend your energy attempting to get folks on your negative train to nowhere. It's really too bad that this energy couldn't be spent supporting those things that you do agree with...
I'm assuming, of course, that you must agree with SOMETHING that's happening in the great State of Maine.
Brute Force of Saco, ME
Nov 29, 2006 10:01 AM
So let me get this straight. The rating was based on such things as:
1. University of Maine
2. Bowdoin College
3. Indoor Farmer's Market
4. 30-mile jogging trail to Brunswick
5. Burgeoning retirement community
None of these things are true.
How do you explain this to people who will travel here from all over the world to see these "fine" attractions?
Give me a break. Portland isn't even in the top 100 places in America.
Frommer's is a joke.
Those of you who think that Portland deserves to be on this list need to get a grip on reality, or take a trip to ... anywhere else.
Zeb of Scarborough, ME
Nov 29, 2006 9:56 AM
Ok great place and all. I like it hear alot. But I have been around the country two or three times and this is not in the top places to see. Christ, you cant even see hooters up here. Well at least not the chain. If you want to attend the Old Port on a Fri of Sat summer night you will see plenty. But I like wings with my hooters.
Jeff of Saco, ME
Nov 29, 2006 9:51 AM
So what part of Portland do you think Frommer's liked most? The vacant store fronts all over Congress Street? How about Kennedy Park? Were they taken with Munjoy Hill? Or were they blown away by the vacant Portland Market? Does Portland have the finest homeless shelters in the Western Hemisphere?
Surely the Frommer's people spent time with the homeless in the downtown parks. They also probably spent time picking up young boys and men late night at Deering Oaks or up on the Western Prom.
Portland is a nice little city. It's not nearly as nice as a lot of other cities of similar size across America. It's not #12, or even in the top 100 in America, if you ask me.
How could the city with the highest number of fast food restaurants per capita in the country be in the top 12 vacation destinations?
I would think that the credibility of such a publication should be called into question for such a blunder.
According to Frommer's, Portland is "A university town (Bowdoin and U Maine) and burgeoning retirement location, Portland has a fantastic mix of culture and education," according to the statement released by the guidebooks company. The statement also praised "an impressive amount of first-rate restaurants," citing Fore Street by name and noting that others are mentioned regularly in Gourmet magazine's list of top restaurants.
A bit of the description gets lost in translation, however, as it cites the excellent indoor farmers' market -- an apparent reference to the now-defunct Portland Public Market -- and a jogging trail that "stretches to nearby Brunswick.
Since when is UMaine in Portland? Or Bowdoin? Portland, a retirement destination? 30-mile jogging trail? How about the Grand Canyon? Didn't they see our Gateway Arch? This rating is based on lies and deception.
The description doesn't make any sense to anyone who has spent any time in Portland, Maine.
For crying out loud. The list doesn't even name DisneyWorld
Arthur Fink of Peaks Island, ME
Nov 29, 2006 9:49 AM
If they spelled our name right (and they did), we won.
Sue of Liverpool, NY
Nov 29, 2006 9:40 AM
I am saddened to hear the negative comments about Portland. Get out and visit other cities in the US. You will be glad to come back to see Portland. You have a magnificient city. I always feel lucky to visit and stay as long as possible in the area.
Joe of Lewiston, ME
Nov 29, 2006 9:37 AM
Isn't Bowdoin in Brunswick? Odd. Frommers needs to learn their Maine geography better.
PD of Portland, Me
Nov 29, 2006 9:22 AM
I think you will see a correction made from Frommers. They obviously missed a number in the front or the rear of their ranking. Imagine that they included Portland,Ore. they have 3 Hooter's and probably atleast 1 other chain, Ashville,NC, they have 1 Hooter's and possibly another chain and Minneapolis,MN, surprise they too have a hooters and maybe, not sure another chain.How are they on this list. FYI....SUE E Q, the days of Mayberry RFD are over. I am a local store owner and I am supported by locals, however the taxes from the state along with CMP bills, price of fuel as well as local taxes, makes it nearly impossible to turn a profit. So when you open up your local small business, let us all know soo we can come and see the smile on your face everyday and tell us how wonderful it is to be a small business owner in Maine. I wish you luck....sort of
Warren of Waldo, me
Nov 29, 2006 8:49 AM
Sue,
How blantantly arrogant and hypocritical of you.
I would venture a guess anyone who is so blind as to think our current State government is benificial to the working men and women of Maine, must be either on welfare or a State employee.
I'd also venture a guess that you, like all of us, shop at those nasty chain stores from time to time.
Finally, I can assure you that NOT having a Hooters in Portland in no way influenced Frommers decision.
You should consider getting back in touch with reality.
Jess of Cape Elizabeth, ME
Nov 29, 2006 8:38 AM
Thanks Frommer's. We knew it all along. Maybe soon we'll go ahead and take the #1 spot?
Thomas of Portland, ME
Nov 29, 2006 8:20 AM
Sue, you're forgetting that people who go to Hooters don't generally have passports. (One doesn't need a passport to vacation at Loudon). So Frommer's wouldn't need to qualify their rankings with a line about "but no Hooters, sadly".
hahaha of Standish, Me
Nov 29, 2006 8:14 AM
Right on Sue. I can't wait to read the comments on the new teachers contract article. The same people crying for vouchers for religious schools yesterday will be complaining that the greedy teachers union has done it again. How dare public school teachers expect fair compensation! And the "talking heads" do listen to someone else, Fox News. That's the problem.
Frank of Jay, ME
Nov 29, 2006 8:03 AM
Run quickly to your local stores and support Sue, while she creates 'growth' and new jobs for all those who aren't listening to themselves. But you better watch out for the ghost of HOOTERS if you're a 'Talking Head' or a 'learning disabled' person - according to Sue.
Rob Tabor of Portland, ME
Nov 29, 2006 7:49 AM
What kind of weed are the employees at Frommer's smoking? Don't get me wrong, I live in Portland and think it is nice but to rank it 12th in the world? Come on. I guess Frommer's hasn't had a chance to interview our soviet style representation in Portland or the half baked fiddler who stands outside the Nickelodeon and shames us all. So let's see. Portland is above, New York? Chicago? San Fran? Las Vegas? Just don't buy it. I think Frommer's may have shopped around position 12 and Portland offered more than other cities, who could care less if they are on this list.
Sue of Portland, ME
Nov 29, 2006 7:27 AM
It's unlikely this will shut up the 'Talking Heads' and their usual blather about how bad things are in Maine and what victims they are of our own government; folks like that are learning disabled and are never listening to anyone but themselves.
But this article is an excellent example of how Portland's City Council acted wisely on Hooters and is evidence that it's a mistake to think national franchise businesses are healthy 'growth' for a community. Businesses like that clearly do not create new jobs: they just take them from healthy local businesses.
Just think how good Maine's economy would be if everyone supported their local stores.