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Visitor Information or Time-Share Business at Ferry Landing?

Some afternoon after work I enjoy going to the Coronado Ferry Landing to catch up on my reading and so forth. Recently they placed a kiosk with signage proclaiming: "Visitor Information" and have a staff of either one or two per shift. First I thought that it was a great idea, the visitors would be able to ask questions, get brochures and directions to sites and attractions in Coronado -- yet after observing their operation for a few days, I realized that this was not the case.

Apparently the Coronado Ferry Landing company has leased out the space to a Wyndham Vacation Resorts' "Time-Share" operation that employs "barkers" to solicit their product. I observed that almost every visitor who approached the kiosk was doing so to "grab a brochure" -- from the prominent display on their counter -- or ask a question, only to receive very little information about Coronado's offerings and essentially a heavy-handed "sales pitch" for the time-share properties.

If the Coronado Ferry Landing leasers/owners want to truly help distribute information to our visitors, I'd suggest that they enlist Coronado residents -- of all ages, not just seniors -- as ambassadors/volunteers (who could receive a "X %" discount from the Coronado Ferry Landing businesses) to guide them on their journey.

The current time-share "bait & switch" approach is to me, disgusting.

Tags: business, community

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Comment by Denise Boucher on October 10, 2012 at 12:40pm: I have witnessed so many tourists think that the Ferry Landing is all Coronado offers and they are disappointed and go back on the ferry. I try to interrupt their conversation and tell them about the village and how to get there. (which is a whole other issue) But there is a whole lotta $ that never finds the village.

Comment by Howard Roarke on October 10, 2012 at 4:59pm: Denise -

You're so right, so many of the visitors who arrive by ferry haven't a clue in regard to what Coronado is about, the "Main Street" merchants, the Chamber, the City, along with the many restaurants and hotels need to work together to promote our city. I do realize too that the Ferry Landing Co. is out to make money and keep visitors there at the Landing -- to some degree -- yet I do believe that something simple -- maybe seasonal -- could work!

Comment by Jim Rohn on October 15, 2012 at 10:11am: We did not see this when we were there 2 weeks ago ... but we may not have noticed it either, we don't spend a lot of time at the "tourist traps" / I mean Ferry Landing shops ... ;)

As stated above, we enjoy the village area from 8th street and up

Just MAYBE that is why (no real info, just a sales kiosk) this is on the police blotter??? hmmm