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Volunteers have signed up to bring tourism back to Chinatown.

It’s no secret that businesses in Chinatown and Little Italy are suffering from the lack of tourism and general foot traffic in the area. With no visitors outside the city, the shop fronts were abandoned and covered by window shutters smeared with graffiti. Despite the vaccine reaching more guns than ever and the reopening of the city imminent, life in the Lower Manhattan community remains a long way from the pedestrian movements of 2019.

In addition to the almost endless choice of restaurants, Chinatown also offers a wealth of history. From infamous tales of the Five Points neighborhood from the 19th century to a bustling place for cultural entertainment, a group of volunteers are hoping to use that story to draw people back to the community and in return for the plentiful shops who are in difficulty offers guided tours.

The men and women of Big Apple Greeter who run trips are not alike. Many are not from Chinatown. However, they all share one very important aspect: the passion for the historical significance of the region. The Big Apple Greeter group has been operating for nearly three decades, and during that time has built a strong relationship with the city’s residents. To simulate the once busy neighborhood, the group is now offering free tours.

Wellington Chen (right) thanks Big Apple Greeter for their commitment. Photo by Dean Moses

On Saturday, around 40 guides celebrated the start of this venture by gathering at the Chinatown Information Kiosk on Baxter and Canal Streets, where Wellington Chen, Executive Director of Chinatown BID, and co-chair of Big Apple Greeter Patrick Condren provided volunteers for theirs Commitment thanked and discussed the tours.

The organization will work with local shops and restaurants by putting stickers in shop windows with a QR code that will take visitors to the Big Apple Greeter website and back to Chinatown, where they can discover historical facts they may never have seen have consciously. For example, Chinatown was developed as a haven for refugees in search of a better life in the late 19th century, which led to the creation of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. While the American government denied basic protection during this period, this association helped provide medical care, housing, and jobs.

This QR code brings prospects to the Big Apple Greeter website. Photo by Dean Moses

It’s small factual tidbits like these that this tour group will use to attract visitors.

“This is so wonderful from so many different angles that it represents the best of New York City,” Chen told New York Metro, adding, “How do you take a bite out of a Big Apple that is nearly nine million people?” One bite each and one Big Apple Greeter. “

Both Chen and Big Apple Greeter hope to bring Chinatown back to life if it’s a small group at a time.

Big Apple Greeter Co-Chair Patrick Condren looks forward to bringing tours to the area. Photo by Dean Moses