I found my heart in SAN FRANCISCO
Business Traveller UK|September 2022
With more infrastructure investment and new social initiatives, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about San Francisco’s post-pandemic comeback
I found my heart in SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco was hit especially hard by the pandemic, and the media was quick to take note: the existing homelessness crisis was exacerbated by occupancy limits in shelters, new fears and anxieties threw the drug epidemic into overdrive, and remote working led people to search for more space and more affordable accommodations in the surrounding Bay Area suburbs. Reports touted the end of this once-great city – so you can understand my initial trepidation about returning on my first post-pandemic trip to the city in June. I expected to see a city ravaged, but over the course of a warm, bright week, the city told me a different story; one that’s surprisingly uplifting. Despite what you may have heard, San Francisco is still a boom town – and it may just end up bouncing back stronger than before.

SHOWING RESILIENCE

I arrived to find the streets of the Embarcadero packed with people waiting for ferries to Sausalito, shopping for ripe summer berries at the farmers market in front of the Ferry Building and jogging along the postcard-perfect waterfront. Tourists have returned too: couples pose for pictures in front of the glittery Bay Bridge and families descend en masse on Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf.

San Francisco has always been one of America’s top tourism destinations: in pre-pandemic 2019, the San Francisco Travel Association recorded an all-time high of 26.2 million visitors. Numbers are expected to hit 21.9 million visitors this year, up from 14.8 million visitors in 2021, with business travellers accounting for some 30 per cent.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BUSINESS TRAVELLER UKView all
The rail thing - Why airlines and train companies are partnering to increase options for travellers on short journeys
Business Traveller UK

The rail thing - Why airlines and train companies are partnering to increase options for travellers on short journeys

An intercity flight connection operated by train would have been almost unthinkable in the early 1990s, but in 2024 it will increasingly be the default experience at many European hub airports. European nations have been among the world's leaders in adopting high-speed rail for short-distance trips, along with Asian countries such as Japan and China.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
Adventures in Albania - From paranoid dictatorship to dream travel destination, why the Balkan nation is ready for its moment in the sun
Business Traveller UK

Adventures in Albania - From paranoid dictatorship to dream travel destination, why the Balkan nation is ready for its moment in the sun

Over the past few years, tourism has shot up stratospherically; recent figures from the European Travel Commission show it's grown 86 per cent since 2019. Its GDP per capita has also been increasing, and last year stood at US$8,800, while the average monthly salary is now around 84,000 lek (£704). Foreign direct investment is also on the rise, with countries including Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands targeting sectors such as energy, mining, information and real estate to a value of around US$1.5 billion in 2022, according to UNCTAD's World Investment Report. Not bad for a country which used to depend on foreign food aid.

time-read
7 mins  |
September 2024
Sushi Kanesaka at 45 Park Lane, London
Business Traveller UK

Sushi Kanesaka at 45 Park Lane, London

Watching Kanesaka work his magic is performance in itself

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024
Scandic Spectrum, Copenhagen
Business Traveller UK

Scandic Spectrum, Copenhagen

An impressive corporate hotel just minutes from Copenhagen's centre

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Kimpton Clocktower, Manchester
Business Traveller UK

Kimpton Clocktower, Manchester

The perfect mix of gorgeous heritage design with cool, cosmopolitan attitude

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
Business Traveller UK

Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London

A stunning success another calming experience in the capital

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Eurostar Business Premier LONDON-PARIS
Business Traveller UK

Eurostar Business Premier LONDON-PARIS

It remains the superior service for those travelling from London to Paris

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER first class DOHA-HONG KONG
Business Traveller UK

Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER first class DOHA-HONG KONG

There is a lot to like, but my experience was far from perfect

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2024
4 HOURS IN...Vienna
Business Traveller UK

4 HOURS IN...Vienna

You'll be spoiled for choice when it comes to the Austrian capital's museums, galleries and historic cafes

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
SWITCHING OFF IN...THE LOIRE VALLEY
Business Traveller UK

SWITCHING OFF IN...THE LOIRE VALLEY

Escape to the secluded forests of the Loire Valley for a digital detox

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024