| It seems we don't think much of the | | | | surveys that have knocked the self-esteem of |
| attractiveness of Philadelphians, according to a | | | | Philadelphia residents. Recently a survey by the |
| recent online survey entitled "America's favorite | | | | American Obesity Society ranked the city in the |
| cities" undertaken jointly by Travel & Leisure | | | | top ten for having the largest proportion of |
| News and CNN Headline news. | | | | overweight people for the fifth time in five years, |
| 60,000 respondents who took part in the survey | | | | reinforcing the image of Philadelphians as amongst |
| ranked the people of Philadelphia rock bottom in | | | | the fattest in the United States. |
| four of the categories surveyed. Respondents | | | | Pride has dropped even further due to the |
| said that those living in the 'City of Brotherly Love' | | | | underachievement of the city's four major |
| were the least active, least worldly, least stylish | | | | sporting franchises that between them haven't |
| and the least friendly in the United States. The | | | | scooped a championship title since 1983 when the |
| city with a population approaching 1.5 million just | | | | 76ers won the NBA Championship. |
| beat out Washington DC and Dallas/Fort Worth | | | | Given the survey results you would be forgiven |
| for the bottom spot, while San Diego and Miami | | | | for thinking that Americans are avoiding the city |
| topped the poll for attractiveness. | | | | at all costs, and that nothing could drag them |
| Quick to defend the city and its residents, Amy | | | | there. However, that couldn't be farther from the |
| Farley, senior editor at Travel & Leisure said that | | | | truth; in 2006 occupancy rates for the average |
| the results didn't mean that respondents thought | | | | city center hotel in Philadelphia hit a new high of |
| that citizens of Philadelphia were unattractive. She | | | | 73.6 % - the highest since 1998. |
| said: "We asked people who took part in the | | | | Indeed, the data produced by PKF Consulting for |
| survey to vote on attractiveness, not | | | | a number of city hospitality organisations including |
| unattractiveness. The results don't mean that | | | | the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, showed |
| Philadelphia is a bad place to visit or that people | | | | that for the first time ever occupancy rates on |
| there are ugly. The editors at Travel & Leisure | | | | Wednesday and Saturday were running at 81%. |
| believe that Philadelphia has many attractive | | | | This data proves that, whatever the surveys |
| residents. The perceived attractiveness of the | | | | may suggest about the rest of the country's |
| residents of a city is only a miniscule measure | | | | perceptions about Philadelphia's residents, the city |
| factor in assessing a city's merit." | | | | is still extremely attractive to leisure visitors and |
| However nicely Ms Farley tries to cushion the | | | | business travellers, and 2007 is set to be a boom |
| blow this is the latest in a recent string of | | | | year for the hotel and hospitality sector. |