In his book entitled "Outliers," author Malcolm Gladwell offers up something known as the 10,000-Hour Rule. Gladwell's theory is that every expert you will ever meet in any field has spent a minimum of 10,000 hours in his or her field of expertise. He offers up numerous examples of people from all sorts of arts and sciences that fall into that category. His advice is, whether you are in the market for a doctor, an attorney or a night spent listening to a blues guitarist, you are best advised to seek out a practitioner with at least the minimum of hours under his belt.
I think he is right on. The 10,000 hours correlates to many years of experience, and you can almost rest assured that anytime you've been wowed by someone's aptitude they have put the requisite time in.
As many of you may know, I have spent the bulk of the last two decades working in tourism here. With nearly 40,000 hours in, I can call myself an expert on the attractions of Niagara and the people who visit them. With that in mind, there are a few truths about what tourists really want, do or need that are rarely spoken. My time has been spent in the trenches with Niagara's visitors, not in detached offices or ivory towers. So I am very confident of my insight into the elusive creature known as a Niagara Tourist.
What follows are some truths about the people who visit the Falls. There's no spin, no B.S., just reality as seen through the eyes of someone who has lived the life to tell the tale.
Truth No. 1 -- Everyone has heard that it is better on the Canadian side of the falls.
It's sometimes hard to figure out how this information is disseminated, but almost without exception, it is. Whether tourists are from Syracuse or Sri Lanka, someone has told them that the Canadian side of Niagara is prettier, newer, safer -- better. It is information that immediately puts defenders of Niagara Falls, N.Y., on the back pedal. It is also problematic in that many local people believe the same thing. Most tourists who flag down a local for advice are quickly sent cruising toward the Rainbow Bridge.
Truth No. 2 -- Local for dinner, national for breakfast.
lmost to a person, tourists want to try a top local restaurant for dinner. The sad news for Niagara Falls is that there are precious few remaining within the downtown corridor. Places like the Goose's Roost and the Press Box are long gone, and the only non-chain new additions are the wonderful, but pricey restaurants inside the Seneca Casino.
A lot of politicians seem preoccupied with landing big, splashy national chains downtown here. I think they're barking up the wrong tree with that approach. Thousands of tourists have said almost the same exact line to me in response to my query of what type of restaurant they'd like to eat dinner at.
"Not any chain, we've got them back home. We want a really good place where we can eat what the locals eat."
However, breakfast is almost the exact opposite. Visitors are very specific about where they want to eat breakfast, with the names Denny's and IHOP most often requested. Trying to get them to a local spot like Mom's, Murphy's or Gigio's is a tough sell. The sad news for travelers is they not only miss out on a great local breakfast, but they often pay exorbitant prices at the national chains, where tourist gouging isn't just a game, but more like a way of life.
Truth No. 3 -- The tour companies are far better than their reputation.
There are a handful of local companies that offer four-, six- and eight-hour tours of Niagara Falls. Most of them take visitors out in vans or mini-buses. They get their clientele through the Internet and travel agent bookings, but mainly through roadside stands and desks in hotel lobbies.
Throughout the years, most of the press these companies have received has been negative. It is often pointed out that there are cheaper ways of seeing Niagara Falls.
The truth is that I haven't found one other way for anyone to experience the falls and come away with a better appreciation of their history and cultural importance than by doing so in the company of a licensed tour guide.
Niagara's falls are 12,000 years old -- older than man has been on this side of planet Earth. They are a geological wonder unlike any other in existence. From their formation to the Native American history, from the daredevils to the hydropower generation, the honeymooners to the War of 1812, Niagara Falls has many tales to tell.
The tour guides employed by the area firms are some of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic people I have ever met. If I had a nickel for every person who has shook my hand after a tour and thanked me for putting them out with their guide Ron, Cheryl, Jeannie or Eric, I'd be penning this column from the sandy white beaches of Waikiki.
Why the tour companies get a bad rap is due to some ancient history between two companies that are no longer in operation. It also has to do with the selling techniques of a few dinosaur tour agents who wouldn't know the truth if it pulled up a barstool and ordered them a Heineken.
That aside, most agents sell clean. Most guides are wonderful, and the overwhelming majority of tourists who get on a tour bus here have a great time and are more likely to recommend Niagara Falls as a destination to their friends and family.
Truth No. 4 -- Niagara Falls is still the Honeymoon Capital of the World.
At least for a certain segment of honeymooners it is, anyway.
There was a time when people came from all points on the globe to celebrate their recent nuptials in Niagara's misty spray. Now Hawaii, the Bahamas and Orlando are the destinations for knot-tying lovers.
But there is one group of young brides and grooms who still tie some shoes on the old bumper and head off for Niagara Falls -- one-tankers from feeder cities. Detroit, Syracuse, Cleveland and Pittsburgh are full of newlyweds who make their way to the I-90 and Niagara Falls.
Most of them are rich, too. At least for the couple of days they will be here, they are. They've just sat on the floor and opened up card after card containing $100 or more, and they are looking at more cash than they've ever seen in their young lives. As a result, most of them are inclined to "do it up" on the honeymoon and leave little on the table when they are through. Sadly, not much is marketed to them here. The "Honeymoon Capital of the World" moniker is not displayed anywhere locally, nor is it on any of the official signs greeting newlyweds when they hit the city limits.
If you'd like to meet real live Niagara Falls honeymooners, just head downtown on a Monday or Tuesday -- that's when they are in town. They get married on Saturday and usually stay in a hometown hotel. Sunday they drive to the Falls and book in for an almost universal two- or three-night stay.
I'd bet if one local restaurant had a honeymoon "Dinner for Two" special on Monday and Tuesday nights, they'd clean up. Instead, most newlyweds leave the city happy for the experience, but never having been formally acknowledged by the city that made honeymooning popular in the first place.
That's just a bit of what my tourism experience has taught me. I'll share some more insight in a future column, but for now you can take this to the bank, because I can spot you Gladwell's 10,000 hours and still have 30,000 to spare.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | Aug. 31, 2010 |