Toronto mayor downplays security concerns
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"Sure there is security, but there is also a really great city. And you only have to go a few steps from the fence and you can be right in the heart of it," he told the reporters at the briefing.
Even during the summit, there will still be "amazing activities" happening all around the city, such as the Jazz Festival and the celebration of the ongoing soccer world cup, he noted.
The mayor, who appeared in the briefing room with the city manager and heads of Toronto's investment and tourism promotion agencies, spent most of the time presenting the city as a perfect place to live, visit or do business.
The world is going to see how "diverse and modern" and "special and unique" Toronto is through the city's hosting of the G20 summit, he said.
He described the city as a "diverse world city," a "green city," a "prosperous city" and a "livable city with a thriving cultural sector," with no less attraction than leading global metropolises like New York, London and Paris.
And according to city officials joining the mayor at the briefing, Toronto is already cashing in on the summit, at least in the tourism and hotel sector.
All local hotels are full thanks to the summit, while occupancy for the same period last year was about 60 percent, said David Whitaker, president and CEO of Tourism Toronto.
The direct and indirect revenues for the G8 and G20 summits are estimated to be around 300 million Canadian dollars, including some 53 million from the hotel community alone, said the mayor and Whitaker.
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