"According to travelers." How about according to locals, or, I dunno, neutral parties?
Whatever. No one should take lists like this seriously, anyway.
If you’ve ever come home from a trip feeling like you spent more time in souvenir shops than local hotspots, you're not alone.
Never been to a beach town, huh? The souvenir shops are the local hotspots.
A new study from travel insurance provider InsureandGo...
How very scientific.
...suggests that several major U.S. cities have earned a reputation for coming off as tourist productions rather than authentic, lived-in places.
There is, of course, a little bit more to the world than the US, but this article just focuses on that.
The study reviewed more than 1.3 million Google Maps reviews across 144 global cities, tracking how often travelers described experiences as "authentic," "local" or "traditional" versus "tourist trap" or "overpriced."
Okay. At least they had criteria in mind and presumably didn't just sit there and brainstorm a list of cities they personally hated. It's still a bit subjective.
Chicago topped the global list as the least authentic city, earning a remarkably low score of 2 out of 100.
Pfft. The only thing inauthentic about Chicago is their "pizza."
Las Vegas landed close behind at number three...
Oh, come on. If I were pulling city names out of my ass for "inauthentic," Vegas would be at the very tippity-top of the list.
Nashville came in at number four globally.
Okay. I have no opinions about Nashville.
Boston rounds out the U.S. cities deemed the most inauthentic, at number six in the world. Its rich history and walkability draws millions, but travelers frequently described central areas of the city as crowded and geared toward visitors rather than residents.
...so what? "We want that sweet, sweet tourism money" is an authentic declaration.
It's worth noting that these rankings don't mean these cities aren't worth visiting. They're popular for a reason.
"No one goes there anymore. It's too crowded." -Yogi Berra
The article ends with the full Top 10 list of "inauthentic" cities. Venice, I could see, though I've never been there. But come on. Brussels? Get the fuck outta heah, as they say authentically in Boston.
