We all know that it is home to a world-famous zoo, but did you know the Bronx has much more to offer than just a fabulous array of animals? Community leaders in the New York borough say the area has so much to offer it is worth packing up your family and spending an entire vacation there.
Vacationing in the Bronx? It may not be such a far-fetched idea—-at least that’s what the creators of a series of new television commercials touting the borough’s image would like you to think. The campaign called “We’re Talking The Bronx” features 30-second spots, which promote the Bronx as a tourist destination. It also documents the major transformation the borough has undergone in the past 25 years.
According to the Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr., the area has “risen from the decades of the ’70s and ’80s to a place that many people didn’t imagine that it could.” (Thirty years ago the area was littered with abandoned buildings and shootings, arson, and thefts were rampant.)
The commercials tell the story of a community that “refused to fail.” It also highlights the number of new commercial developments that have been added in the last few years, including world-class restaurants and shops. Then there are the popular Bronx recreational attractions from Yankee Stadium to the Bronx Zoo and botanical gardens. The new ads also touch on efforts by community leaders to reduce traffic congestion and improve local parks and playgrounds.
Noticeably missing from the commercials (and the borough)—the lack of a major hotel. One step at a time I suppose. I must admit I have only traveled to the Bronx to go to the zoo. Since I have family living in various parts of New York and New Jersey I have never needed to find hotel accommodations in the Bronx. However, I could see how the area could profit from having a Hilton, Marriott or other major name close by.
Have you ever been to the Bronx? What is your family’s favorite attraction there?
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