Does anyone else get sick of the media hype about how "successful" every single tourist season is?

nimbleridge5 said:It’s honestly kind of pathetic when people brag about things they didn't actually build, and let's face it, tourism is pretty much the only thing keeping the American economy afloat right now. But even then, it isn't because of any real talent or hard work from our side; if anything, we're succeeding despite ourselves! Given how fast we're seeing everything paved over with concrete, the endless sprawl of vacation rentals, and those shady laws passed by politicians who clearly don't care, I honestly think tourism will eventually just sink to the same level as everything else in this country.
It doesn't even really make me angry anymore, it just makes me feel deeply sad that the one industry actually thriving in America is the one thing most Americans had absolutely nothing to do with helping grow. And if you want to talk about how messy things are, you could say we only got a temporary reprieve because some neighboring regional powers essentially gave us a ten-year grace period before their own policies would have forced us to ruin our coastline too. 😁
Just take all that self-congratulation, throw in a bunch of mainstream media headlines hyping up these wannabe celebrities visiting the coast, and you get this nauseating cocktail of inferiority complexes, fake glamour, vanity, and pure arrogance that lacks any actual merit. It’s a truly revolting mix that perfectly captures the current mindset of this nation.

The media simply reports on what captures the public's attention.
What I am curious about is how you would personally attempt to frame our coastline as something genuinely interesting.
This nauseating cocktail and the national paradigm—at least regarding tourism—is hardly anything that distinguishes us from any other nation caught in the same cycle.

And just as an aside: the alternative isn't hosting Buxtehude at Madison Square Garden or a Dutch musical counterpoint in Saint Dominic cathedral; the alternative is simply gnawing on tree roots.

So, have you guys noticed those total exaggerations about record-breaking heatwaves lately? It honestly feels like they’re just trying to manufacture some kind of hype to trick everyone into booking a last-minute trip to the coast.

Just look at the forecasts for a second—they’ll predict the most hellish week of heat ever, claiming temps will hit the low 90s, but then half the week ends up being nothing but rain...

feralnomad35 said:So, have you guys noticed those total exaggerations about record-breaking heatwaves lately? It honestly feels like they’re just trying to manufacture some kind of hype to trick everyone into booking a last-minute trip to the coast.

Just look at the forecasts for a second—they’ll predict the most hellish week of heat ever, claiming temps will hit the low 90s, but then half the week ends up being nothing but rain...

That isn't quite the issue; rather, the sheer volume of clicks drives the constant coverage of extreme weather. In this landscape, nothing is allowed to be ordinary. Everything must be sensationalized—the biggest, the smallest, the "never before seen"—simply because that is what triggers engagement and keeps people clicking.
It is quite pathetic.
Forbes is particularly distasteful in this regard, though I suppose many other outlets aren't much better...

Donna James5 said:Yet, job openings continue to be filled. It is true that finding work is easier than it once was, but one cannot claim there is a total lack of workers.
As for the landlords, in the US we have over 700,000 officially registered rental beds...
so, there is certainly a profit to be made.

But it’s never been this easy to find a job in July or August. Right now, if you want a gig, you can get one. It used to be everything was already snapped up by March or April.
The pay you pull in three months of work is a joke—won't even keep you out of the gutter.
When I worked the season, I was pulling in about $6.00 during the summer 🙄
And what happens in the winter?

California has nothing, absolutely nothing, besides the summer rush and "no vacancy" signs. I guess that's just life here...

Mark Moore2 said:But it’s never been this easy to find a job in July or August. Right now, if you want a gig, you can get one. It used to be everything was already snapped up by March or April.
The pay you pull in three months of work is a joke—won't even keep you out of the gutter.
When I worked the season, I was pulling in about $6.00 during the summer 🙄
And what happens in the winter?

California has nothing, absolutely nothing, besides the summer rush and "no vacancy" signs. I guess that's just life here...

In my neck of the woods, the first guests arrive even before Easter and stay through New Year's Day. February and March are essentially a wasteland, though even then, there are always those clever enough to find a way to make a buck.

Regarding this year specifically, you are correct that it is the first time one can actually find work this late in the game.

Personally, I don't believe there is any reason to panic. The market will eventually correct itself. I am banking on some sort of compromise involving modest wage increases—just enough to avoid confusion—alongside the importation of labor for 2018.

The situation isn't nearly as catastrophic as the headlines suggest. At my workplace, more than half the staff are "permanent" seasonal workers, so things haven't shifted all that drastically.

Of course, naturally, my ideal scenario would be seeing our own people get raises, but it is unlikely that will be the sole focus...

I suspect they will have no trouble finding workers in Bulgaria, and if they streamline work permits for Mexicans, you could see half of North Mexico arriving next year.

Lastly, one shouldn't forget that unemployment in the Czech Republic sits at 4%, and they are working for lower wages than we are.
Therefore,... considering who is currently running the show around here, it is quite difficult to expect any significant wage hikes...

Bulgarians, being part of the European Union, aren't exactly lining up to grind here for 12 to 14 hours a day just to make $3,500 or $4,000 on minimum wage plus tips. Why sleep on a floor when they can just hop over to any other EU nation and find better work?

So, who's left to fill the labor gap?
It’s mostly just people from Canada, though even their interest in working in the States is drying up.
Mexicans or Mexicans certainly aren't interested in waiting tables along the coast.

Donna James5 said:That isn't quite the issue; rather, the sheer volume of clicks drives the constant coverage of extreme weather. In this landscape, nothing is allowed to be ordinary. Everything must be sensationalized—the biggest, the smallest, the "never before seen"—simply because that is what triggers engagement and keeps people clicking.
It is quite pathetic.
Forbes is particularly distasteful in this regard, though I suppose many other outlets aren't much better...

Exactly. I remember those mindless, sensationalist headlines from the first month regarding that "extreme" cold snap, which was actually perfectly normal for that time of year.
Today, I read an article claiming we were seeing temperatures above 90 degrees when it was barely even warm. 😁 I honestly wonder if there's an intelligence test for American media outlets, because it seems like they hire whoever has the lowest IQ possible.

Jason Miller80 said:Exactly. I remember those mindless, sensationalist headlines from the first month regarding that "extreme" cold snap, which was actually perfectly normal for that time of year.
Today, I read an article claiming we were seeing temperatures above 90 degrees when it was barely even warm. 😁 I honestly wonder if there's an intelligence test for American media outlets, because it seems like they hire whoever has the lowest IQ possible.

You're mistaken. This January was actually the coldest we've seen in nearly fifty years.

The media lives for the clickbait. They thrive on sensationalism, constantly inflating numbers just to drive engagement. Every year, it’s the same tired routine: they hype up record-breaking tourism stats like it's some kind of miracle, when really, it's just another way to manufacture noise.

And we just keep importing labor, too. It started off slow this season, but mark my words, it’s gonna get even more intense next year. Honestly, our own people aren't interested in these jobs—and hey, I don't blame them. What we’re offering here is basically peanuts compared to what they could pull in over in Europe.

Jason Miller80 said:Exactly. I remember those mindless, sensationalist headlines from the first month regarding that "extreme" cold snap, which was actually perfectly normal for that time of year.
Today, I read an article claiming we were seeing temperatures above 90 degrees when it was barely even warm. 😁 I honestly wonder if there's an intelligence test for American media outlets, because it seems like they hire whoever has the lowest IQ possible.

They aren't even right... Since one of my side gigs depends on the weather, I've been tracking temps and everything else intensely for the last five years...
We haven't seen temperatures like this for this long at this time of year in ages....

What really caught my eye is that the last two weekends—which are usually huge for traffic heading toward New York City from the coast—weren't actually that busy. (Last year there was a line 12 miles like 500 meters long). So, I don't know if this season is actually as successful as people hope....

slysurfer14 said:They aren't even right... Since one of my side gigs depends on the weather, I've been tracking temps and everything else intensely for the last five years...
We haven't seen temperatures like this for this long at this time of year in ages....

What really caught my eye is that the last two weekends—which are usually huge for traffic heading toward New York City from the coast—weren't actually that busy. (Last year there was a line 12 miles like 500 meters long). So, I don't know if this season is actually as successful as people hope....

What on earth does the number of New Yorkers hitting the road for the beach at the same time have to do with the overall success of the tourist season? Or how does the efficiency of toll booth operations in the New Yorker area impact the economy? 🙄

Nicholas Nguyen said:Bulgarians, being part of the European Union, aren't exactly lining up to grind here for 12 to 14 hours a day just to make $3,500 or $4,000 on minimum wage plus tips. Why sleep on a floor when they can just hop over to any other EU nation and find better work?

So, who's left to fill the labor gap?
It’s mostly just people from Canada, though even their interest in working in the States is drying up.
Mexicans or Mexicans certainly aren't interested in waiting tables along the coast.

You are overlooking one fundamental issue: language. To secure a job in any corner of the European Union, you generally need to speak the local tongue.
Have you ever actually spent time in Bulgaria? If you had, you would realize that their proficiency in foreign languages remains somewhat limited. Consequently, they don't struggle much with American. Of course, I am not suggesting a million people will descend upon us, but a thousand could arrive without any difficulty at all.

As for Mexicans and Mexicans, you are mistaken. I was recently in Mexico speaking with individuals who are officially registered as earning a mere $250, under the unspoken agreement that the boss returns $50 or even $70 when payday rolls around.
Do you have any idea what that equates to???
It's practically nothing. They are working for peanuts.
To them, $3,500 plus housing and food sounds like a fortune.

Honestly, I feel like we shouldn't even start talking about whether we've actually achieved any kind of real economic success until we see if our summer tourism revenue can actually hold its own against what they're pulling in over in places like Colorado or maybe even parts of Florida

Donna James5 said:You are overlooking one fundamental issue: language. To secure a job in any corner of the European Union, you generally need to speak the local tongue.
Have you ever actually spent time in Bulgaria? If you had, you would realize that their proficiency in foreign languages remains somewhat limited. Consequently, they don't struggle much with American. Of course, I am not suggesting a million people will descend upon us, but a thousand could arrive without any difficulty at all.

As for Mexicans and Mexicans, you are mistaken. I was recently in Mexico speaking with individuals who are officially registered as earning a mere $250, under the unspoken agreement that the boss returns $50 or even $70 when payday rolls around.
Do you have any idea what that equates to???
It's practically nothing. They are working for peanuts.
To them, $3,500 plus housing and food sounds like a fortune.

You're looking at this all wrong.

Even if the languages were similar, you still have to put in the work to learn them. And let's be real, wages in America are way too low to motivate anyone to pick up a new tongue.

It’s like asking why Americans don't move to the Czech Republic—which has a pretty decent economy—instead of heading to Ireland or Germany.
Sure, for us Americans, picking up Czech might be easier, but nobody's doing it. Nobody's even going to do it. People stick to English and maybe a little German since that's what we get in school.

Richard Wilson4 said:You're looking at this all wrong.

Even if the languages were similar, you still have to put in the work to learn them. And let's be real, wages in America are way too low to motivate anyone to pick up a new tongue.

It’s like asking why Americans don't move to the Czech Republic—which has a pretty decent economy—instead of heading to Ireland or Germany.
Sure, for us Americans, picking up Czech might be easier, but nobody's doing it. Nobody's even going to do it. People stick to English and maybe a little German since that's what we get in school.

I have an acquaintance, a Bulgarian woman. Do you know how long it took her to adjust and pick up American English? A mere three months!
As for the question of why we don't move to the Czech Republic, the reality is that their unemployment rate sits at 4%, and quite frankly, their salaries are lower than ours.

Unless, of course, you happen to be a top-tier specialist whom they are desperate to recruit.

Donna James5 said:I have an acquaintance, a Bulgarian woman. Do you know how long it took her to adjust and pick up American English? A mere three months!
As for the question of why we don't move to the Czech Republic, the reality is that their unemployment rate sits at 4%, and quite frankly, their salaries are lower than ours.

Unless, of course, you happen to be a top-tier specialist whom they are desperate to recruit.

Yeah, that's exactly my point.

The wages are just too low to attract anyone.

It's the same deal here in America; if you're an EU citizen, you've got way better options out there.
Pay in America has dropped so low that even Americans are struggling, let alone people coming in from the EU.

Before Brexit, even Bulgarians could head straight over to England.

Donna James5 said:In my neck of the woods, the first guests arrive even before Easter and stay through New Year's Day. February and March are essentially a wasteland, though even then, there are always those clever enough to find a way to make a buck.

Regarding this year specifically, you are correct that it is the first time one can actually find work this late in the game.

Personally, I don't believe there is any reason to panic. The market will eventually correct itself. I am banking on some sort of compromise involving modest wage increases—just enough to avoid confusion—alongside the importation of labor for 2018.

The situation isn't nearly as catastrophic as the headlines suggest. At my workplace, more than half the staff are "permanent" seasonal workers, so things haven't shifted all that drastically.

Of course, naturally, my ideal scenario would be seeing our own people get raises, but it is unlikely that will be the sole focus...

I suspect they will have no trouble finding workers in Bulgaria, and if they streamline work permits for Mexicans, you could see half of North Mexico arriving next year.

Lastly, one shouldn't forget that unemployment in the Czech Republic sits at 4%, and they are working for lower wages than we are.
Therefore,... considering who is currently running the show around here, it is quite difficult to expect any significant wage hikes...

Personally, I don't care one bit. It doesn't help me that Maistre hotels and restaurants are packed by April. I'm just looking out for the little guy...
If I remember right, you're up north near the border, so thanks to being close to Italy, you guys stay pretty busy even in winter...

Seems like the main goal for our politicians is just pulling labor from the old America. The language is similar and the pay is lower than ours. I've already noticed some women with dual citizenship working in supermarkets and camps...
Not sure how good that is for us... 🤔

With 35% of our workforce sitting on the sidelines, it's no big deal if wages jump by 30%. If a seasonal worker could pull $5,000 or $6,000, everyone would be lining up...
Because honestly, even at that rate, everybody wins...

Wait, though—what's the actual standard of living in the Czech Republic? What's the purchasing power like?...

Nicholas Nguyen said:You're mistaken. This January was actually the coldest we've seen in nearly fifty years.

The media lives for the clickbait. They thrive on sensationalism, constantly inflating numbers just to drive engagement. Every year, it’s the same tired routine: they hype up record-breaking tourism stats like it's some kind of miracle, when really, it's just another way to manufacture noise.

That's still more normal than some of those winters from years ago that were just way too warm.
As for the tourism records, they keep shoving them down our throats because they don't know how to write about anything else. I get the impression they have a handful of pre-written articles ready for the whole year and they just cycle through them...
all you have to do is come up with a more sensational headline and swap out the year in the text.

I just stumbled upon an article online—saw the link mentioned in another thread—basically calling anyone who chooses not to head to the coast for vacation a total loser. It’s such petty, small-minded nonsense from people who actually call themselves journalists... specifically looking at you, BuzzFeed. It’s not even the constant praise for the summer tourism season that gets under my skin. It’s this forced narrative that everyone *has* to hit the beach, acting like if you aren't interested, you're some kind of social outcast or somehow inferior.
We honestly need to boycott the American media all summer long. We need an annual break from the garbage they churn out.

Look, if I didn't have some kind of decent savings account tucked away, I’d basically be funding my entire coffee habit on Broadway $17 just to blow through my cash in a single weekend. Man, I remember back in the day when you could grab a beer for what, maybe two bucks? $8.25 Or even something like a cheap soda $6.00 for that kind of change. Now? These prices are clearly rigged for tourists, while Americans are stuck working their tails off just to serve them on our own coast. It’s a joke. On one hand, you've got the visitors, and on the other, you're listening to broke locals whining because they can't make ends meet. Like, seriously—if they try to charge me $4 $5.25 for a basic beer in the middle of winter, but I'm pulling in maybe $15 an hour $4.75... forget it. I'm not even thinking about heading down to the coast. If our vacation window is only 5 to 10 days, we're basically screwed for the year.