Before gentrification, tourists had no reason to stop in Astoria on a guided tour od New York City, but in recent years, Astoria has become a popular destinations for tourists. Popular sites include:
- Steinway & Sons Piano Factory
- The Museum of the Moving Image
- The general areas around Steinway Street and 30th Avenue
These sites cover the nostalgic and old-time/vintage feel that is popular nowadays with the Steinway factory as well as the appeal of American pop culture with the Museum of the Moving image.
Astoria has seen a recent trend of young people trying finding homes in this area (Real Estate) which is developing to cater the neighborhood to these people. This means that there are more commercial areas, pubs, and other social businesses in the area than there have ever been. This spike in youth activity in this relatively close knit neighborhood has inspired tourism agencies to offer walking tours of the neighborhood that allow tourists to sample food as well as take part in the growing night life of the area. Tourists that visit Astoria can now also experience things like hookah, halal food, and Egyptian foods because of the growing trend of hookah as well as the location of Little Egypt in the neighborhood.
In advertisements for Astoria, the diversity of the area is pushed forward a lot as well as its film-making history.
Diversity and Youthful Vigor
Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden in Astoria http://www.sheckysnightlife.com/userfiles/image/2010/06-June/060210_SteinTime_BohemianHall.jpg
In many online guides such as TimeOut NY and NotForTourists, there are descriptions about the Arabic, Italian, Greek, Egyptian, and Colombian businesses and cultures that permeate the area. The idea of diversity and Astoria being a melting pot of cultures is the focal point of the marketing of Astoria. Since the area is becoming younger, many of the tourism guides also point out popular drinking locations like the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden and pubs.
Bareburger: popular burger restaurant chain’s location in Astoria http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2656/3868153545_50026def5e_z.jpg
With the trending of unique eats and finds in tourism and travel, many of Astoria’s small businesses are also highlighted to attract the youthful travler. NyMag.com provides a shopping guide for people visiting Astoria featuring small boutiques and little-known restaurants, all of relatively high quality products. Gentrification of the area definitely refined tourism and there don’t seem to be many cheap or down-and-dirty options in the lists online.
Film
Museum of the Moving Image http://amt.parsons.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/02/museum-of-the-moving-image-main-entrance.jpg
Astoria has been and still is known for many of its film-making studios and art. The Marketing of this part of Astoria is still very prevalent especially with the renovations of the Museum of Moving Art and the development of Art in the neighborhood. Kaufman Astoria Studios is the most well known of the studios in Astoria and it as well as the museum serve as history books for Astoria’s and America’s pop culture.
Vacation Spot
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LjHkHkpsmvM/TtOv7zHPwsI/AAAAAAAAJYc/RgJ1ygrDOqo/s640/astoria.jpg
Past Tourism
Astoria’s tourism has only seen popularity in recent years and prior to its gentrification, little was attracting tourists to the area. There were mostly residential and community based businesses that catered to the native population. As Astoria’s demand grew, so did its prices and its popularity both as a place to settle down by natives and as a place to visit by tourists. With all the new commercial developments like restaurants, bars, and boutiques geared toward hip culture, tourists and tourism are on the rise.
In the past, Astoria was a vacation spot for the rich because the area was an escape from city life. Through industrialization and development, the area is becoming more like the city at every second.
Further Reading
http://nymag.com/shopping/features/59219/
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/astoria-queens-neighborhood-guide
http://www.notfortourists.com/hood.aspx/newyork/astoria
