Only eight months after an EF-5 tornado ravaged the city of Joplin, Missouri, the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is stirring up quite a whirlwind with a unique and controversial tourism campaign.
Just recently, the Bureau released a map designed to facilitate visiting the city's most devastated places. The map combines facts on the tornado, images of the destruction following the disaster, and points of twister-related interest. This map is being made available at welcome centers and hotel front desks around the city and state and shows the path of the tornado while also suggesting a route to tour the destroyed areas of the city.
City officials claim that they are not in the 'tornado tourism' business and simply wanted to provide an educational piece on the safest ways to see the incredible amount of destruction in the city. Many people requested a guide to help educate others on tornado safety and the destruction they cause. In addition to outrage from the map, there were also rumors that the city was planning to develop an iPhone app and provide bus tours of ground zero in the disaster zone. Further investigation reveals that those concepts were only ideas and will not be implemented by the city.
Victims of the twister simply feel that the campaign is tasteless and too soon. But often people are fascinated with disaster and typically want to see what nature can do, simply a fascination of destruction. But is it right?
Tell us what you think about the city of Joplin's 'tornado tourism' campaign by sounding off in the comments section below...
City officials are up against some tough decisions while trying to get people to come back to the town and rejuvenate the income but also trying to remain sensitive to the victims who must take time to clean up and allow time for closure in the situation.
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