San Francisco unveils $9.5M revitalization plan, hopes for tourism to rebound

San Francisco unveils revitalization plans and hopes tourism recovers

San Francisco is looking for a boost in tourism after the pandemic crippled the industry. On Tuesday, city officials unveiled a new plan to try to speed up travel to the city.

SAN FRANCISCO – – The Mayor of San Francisco unveiled a new plan to revitalize Union Square with the aim of bringing visitors back to the city.

Union Square is one of the city’s most popular travel destinations. After a year of lockdown, the mayor has a plan to welcome visitors here.

“The tourists, the 20 million tourists who come to San Francisco each year, who pay hotel taxes, who shop at Macy’s and some of our small businesses,” Mayor London told Breed. “Downtown is the economic engine of San Francisco.”

The mayor launched a $ 9.5 million plan that includes around 50 community ambassadors scattered across the area to ensure that visitors and locals feel safe and that people with mental illness, drug or alcohol addiction, be guided to the required resources. “It is so important that, at the beginning of our reopening, we re-imagine what the inner city can be,” said Mayor Breed. “We have to make it safer for the people who live and work here.”

The plan also includes converting public spaces around Union Square into spaces for public performances and major events.

Ben Bleiman sits on the city’s entertainment committee and heads the city’s Bar Owner Alliance. He says that bringing life to public spaces will attract visitors and allow the city’s nightlife to flourish. “The recovery from the pandemic will not include arts and entertainment and nightlife, but on the back of entertainment and nightlife,” Bleiman said. “I think it will be the main force to bring our city back to life.”

The owner of Sam’s Grill, near Union Square, says he is confident that the city’s investment in the area will enable him to welcome customers to his restaurant for more than 100 years. “I am pleased to invite you all to visit San Francisco again, to revisit downtown, to enjoy it because we are made for it,” said Peter Quartaroli.

The downtown plan will be part of the mayor’s budget proposal due to be officially unveiled next week. If approved, the ambassadors and performers could be in place by summer.