Washington, DC - the place I've called home since 1978 - has an often maligned reputation.

It is referred to by politicians and newscasters (and, now, it seems ordinary citizens) as WASHINGTON, the place where all evil happens to harm this country.  I shake my head in sadness every time I hear this since I know that we are a place of people just like any other and the 'evil' people perceive is only in the Federal enclaves of Congress, the White House, and other such places.

Our jobs require  due diligence about destinations and sites we are considering for meeting.  Meetingscollaborative.com is a place where we can rate sites - hotels and conference centers and soon, convention centers - about how they perform for meetings.  We can write about guest rooms, meeting space, food and beverage and service among many other aspects.

When it comes to cities themselves, we have our own considerations: lift (air access), distance from airports, restaurants, cultural activities, etc.  When teaching meeting planning or working with clients, I always recommend that safety and security be the main consideration for destinations and sites.

When I read this article about the North Beach section of San Francisco, I knew what Mayor Newsom must be going through.  DC, like so many urban areas, suffers through a perception of crime.   When tho' does it become an issue for destination and site selection?  When do cities and DMOs ("Destination Marketing Organizations" aka CVBs) say 'not to worry - it's not in an area where tourists go' and we listen and dismiss the reports?

My colleagues in a wonderful southern city have been upset with me for saying that there is still not a sufficient infrastructure to evacuate people in the event of a catastrophic event.  And yet .. I think we need to be more vigilant as we select destinations, looking to all factors and understanding the risks we take when booking destinations and sites.

Yes, I'll still go to North Beach when in San Francisco - it is one of those San Francisco treasures - and I'll pay attention to the times I'm there. 

And full disclosure: I live in downtown DC.  When I first moved here, I lived in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, then on Capitol Hill, and now downtown.  It's a great place to live and visit!

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