Could SD tourism thrive minus Comic-Con?

Question: Can San Diego’s summer tourism season thrive without Comic-Con? (Who’s your favorite superhero)

YES: 13 NO: 1

Marney Cox, San Diego Association of Governments

Answer: YES; Silver Surfer

Comic-Con -- the three-day fantasy extravaganza -- took over the convention center this past week and participants filled surrounding hotels and restaurants. From an economic point of view, summer tourism could thrive without CC, which actually displaces events that would otherwise use the convention center, with participants that would frequent the hotels and restaurants; in other words, no net loss. However, in light of the pending doom in the world today, I was comforted with all the superheroes in town, especially the Silver Surfer, a noble yet tormented soul that, like many economists, treasures freedom above all.

Phil Blair, Manpower

Answer: YES; Silver Surfer

San Diego is such a perfect vacation and staycation area that millions of tourists would still come every summer to enjoy San Diego. What would be lost is millions of dollars of immediate infusion of money to our tourism business and more importantly the worldwide exposure of San Diego being tied to Comic-Con. Just last night I saw a new movie that featured San Diego’s Convention Center and Comic-Con. That huge exposure can never be bought and feeds our current and future tourism business.

Kelly Cunningham, National University System

Answer: YES; Superman

Although Comic-Con is a phenomenon attracting thousands of visitors and promoting San Diego’s image across the globe, the local visitor industry would still thrive if it was not held here. Arguably hosting Comic-Con in the midst of the busiest visitor season of the year is actually counterproductive as some stay away because of overcrowding during the event. It would be more productive to hold during a much less congested time of year. Nevertheless, it is a noteworthy event putting the spotlight on San Diego and bolstering the economy. My favorite superhero remains Superman -- battling for truth, justice and the American way!

Gina Champion-Cain, American International Investments

Answer: YES; Superman

San Diego summers themselves are a big enough draw to fill our hotels, restaurants and bars. Measures of economic impact from specific events, such as Comic-Con, are often misleading as they attribute all dollars spent during these events to the event itself as though the region would have gone totally dormant had the event not been held. Yet, there is a very important balance in this community between having very vibrant conventions and celebrating the benefits of living in an area that offers so much that it does not need to rely on special events to bring people here during our beautiful summers.

p.s. My fav superhero is and has always been Superman. I can’t explain it other than I love everything about his story. No other Superhero is even close for me.

Alan Gin, University of San Diego

Answer: YES; Wonder Woman

But it would not thrive nearly as much. The estimated economic impact is nearly $180 million as tens of thousands of people from outside the region spend money at local businesses. But that is only about 1 percent of the tourism industry’s annual economic impact on the region ($18 billion). People will come to San Diego in the summer even without Comic-Con.

My favorite superhero is Wonder Woman. I’ve always had a thing for strong women characters, e.g., Eowyn in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Having Wonder Woman played by Lynda Carter during my impressionable teen years in the late 1970s may have something to do with it, too.

Steven Cox, TakeLessons

Answer: YES; Superman Superman

Comic-Con adds a tremendous amount of economic activity to San Diego each year and we’re pleased to be hosting the convention again this year. While it would certainly be a blow if Comic-Con decided on a new location, the city has taken appropriate steps to establish San Diego as a leading destination for tourism and convention activity outside of any one particular convention. We’d feel the impact if Comic-Con left, but San Diego’s summer tourism season would certainly continue to thrive thanks to the weather, beaches, parks, events, and natural beauty that has attracted tourists for decades. Fave Super-Hero: Superman! The dude can fly! How cool is that!

James Hamilton, University of California San Diego

Answer: YES; Spider-Man

Yes. Comic-Con brings significant economic benefits to San Diego, possibly generating about 1 percent of our annual hotel tax revenue all by itself. That’s an important contribution, but San Diego tourism could continue to thrive without it. Notwithstanding, we shouldn’t take this event for granted. The city should make every effort to ensure that participants enjoy their visit and the convention is a big success, in hopes we can continue to host it every year. Favorite superhero: Spider-Man because of his human-sized vulnerabilities.

Jamie Moraga, intelliSolutions

She is not participating this week. Favorite superhero: Wonder Woman.

Gary London, The London Group Realty Advisors

Answer: YES; Spider-Man

I have no doubt that Comic-Con is replaceable by any number of other conventions to fill the space, and it may be that the demographics of the attendees of business and technology forums actually suggest that they spend more when they are here. There certainly have been other, bigger recent conventions in San Diego that do just that. However, the sheer publicity juggernaut, which has come to surround Comic-Con is probably not duplicable and for that alone we must continue to make a concerted effort to retain comic con. Plus, its attendees are activating downtown like no other! I relate mostly to Spider-Man, because he easily leaps from building to building. Sort of like me.

Jim Plante, Pathway Genomics

Answer: NO; Ironman

While San Diego ranks as the No. 1 U.S. destination for people looking to vacation at the beach, and even well ahead of Maui, Comic-Con is expected to be responsible for generating more than $200 million of revenue for local businesses within a single week. Ironman is for sure the favorite in San Diego as he is a posterchild of the entrepreneurial spirit and technology innovation, which is a key strength of the San Diego tech community.

Norm Miller, University of San Diego

Answer: YES

Answering the last question first, and fearing I will sound elitist, I gave up fictional superheroes around the age of 12, although I did enjoy the physique of Wonder Woman into my 20s. My superheroes today are the great teachers despite a broken public education system; the small farmers who pay a fair wage and don’t take crop support payments; the Medal of Honor winners, Navy Cross and similar among our finest. These are the superheroes we should teach our kids to admire. In terms of Comic-Con I have no idea why anyone over age 12 attends, worships celebrities or dresses up as comic characters. I’m quite sure we will survive just fine without Comic-Con.

Rick Sanborn, Seacoast Commerce Bank

Answer: YES; The Hulk

Comic-Con, founded in San Diego in 1970, is the largest convention held in San Diego and purportedly generates upwards of $180 million in regional economic impact, and over $70 million in direct spending by attendees. These levels of revenue, and the subsequent taxes generated, would be missed if Comic-Con moves out of San Diego. However, while the regional economic impact is good, compared to San Diego’s total economic impact provided by tourism of over $17 billion, Comic-Con represents only 1 percent of the total regional economic tourism dollars. If Comic-Con were to leave, other conventions would be booked to fill the void. And my favorite superhero -- probably The Hulk. Don’t know why, just liked reading those comics (and watching the TV show) when I was a kid.

Lynn Reaser, Point Loma Nazarene University

Answer: YES; Dilbert

Comic-Con boosts tourism each July, but the event only lasts four days. San Diego’s various attractions, beaches, facilities, and weather are a major draw for tourists in their own right. The tourist season in San Diego begins well before Comic-Con and extends thereafter. Job gains in recreation and tourism actually are the largest in April, May, and June, but continue through August. Comic-Con is a bright asset in the region’s tourist portfolio, but it is only one piece.

Dilbert is my favorite superhero for his ability to survive, although certainly not thrive, in the bureaucracy and politics of the office.

John Sarkisian, SKLZ

He is not participating this week. His favorite superhero: Popeye.

Dan Seiver, Reilly Financial Advisors

Answer: YES; Superman

Comic-Con brings lots of tourists, many in unusual costumes, to the city for a few days, but the revenue generated is only a small fraction of San Diego tourism revenues. More importantly, if Comic-Con left San Diego (maybe for a favorite planet elsewhere in the cosmos), I would expect San Diego to work hard to replace them with another convention. San Diego is still a great draw for conventions and conferences of all types. My favorite Superhero is Superman, because I grew up watching him on TV in the 1950s. He fought for truth, justice, and the American Way.

Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health

Answer: YES

While it’s incredible that in just four days in the summer Comic-Con’s 130,000 attendees bring in some $178 million to the region, it’s important to remember the economic impact of all visitors to San Diego in summer is $6 billion. So, while we probably would rather not get along without Comic-Con, we could. And as far as who my favorite superhero is, I actually have many. My superheroes are the first responders who serve our community every day – police, fire, emergency medical services and health care. They are not cartoon characters but real people standing by 24/7 to protect and to serve.