Reader poll: What should we call ‘tourists’?

Our most recent online readers poll was inspired by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau’s new “branding” campaign and the suggestion that the community begin thinking of out-of-towners less as “tourists” or “visitors” and instead refer to them in a more welcoming way, as “guests.”

We asked readers to weigh in and, as hospitable as Sonoma can be at times, the resounding response was – seriously, people, they’re tourists. While 66 percent of respondents chose “tourists,” we also opened up the poll for readers to suggest their own terms for out-of-towners, not all of them printable, however, in a family newspaper. We also received a handful of responses from tourist-enthusiasts who, if they aren’t already working at the Visitors Bureau, should be.

Here are the more impassioned responses:

Quite frankly “visitors” are great to our town of Sonoma BUT you always can tell who they are because they always just walk out in or out of cross walks without a care in the world when they see your car – they are rude.

Terrorist.

I would LOVE to have a lighting cross walk sign on the Plaza stop area ... and, make it illegal for any pedestrian to cross if not lighted and only when lighted, then limit the lighting to about every two minutes.

Sick and tired of the weekend takeover by out of town tourists.

In order to be allowed to come to our town, most need to pass a test in common manners. You asked for my opinion, but do not have permission to use my name if you publish this.

I call weekend visitors unwelcome people.

Blood clotting parasites ...

The presentation (by the Visitors Bureau) explained the mindset shift from Visitors to Guests ... Hope everyone was able to attend.

Money in the bank...

Welcome to Sonoma. Please, for the love of God, stop moving here. Give us a hot minute to adjust to your money, your entitlement, your ideas of who we should be. We are exhausted by you and your patronizing ideas. Consider for a moment that we are not back-road, turnip-truck survivors who need your sophisticated gaze upon our current structure. You are killing the very vibe you moved here to embody. Please. We are begging you to stop it already. We like you just fine, for the most part, but we need some space. Our relationship moved too quickly. Back off. We will be in touch. Want to just peruse us? GREAT. No worries. The City of Sonoma has been fashioned toward your needs – to the exclusion of the rest of us. Stay. Smile. Ride a bike. And then please, please go home. Thanks, Sonoma.

Thank goodness we have them … otherwise, our town would be struggling. Lets make sure we welcome them with open arms and the proper hospitality that a place of our historic stature demands.

A pain in the a--!