Tour group's actions spark concern in the Bronx

<p>Members of the Bronx Tourism Council are worried about buses full of tourists that are coming to the area just for photo-ops.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 30, 2017, 2:00 AM

Updated 2,675 days ago

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Members of the Bronx Tourism Council are worried about buses full of tourists that are coming to the area just for photo-ops.
Council members say tourism is up, and that's great, however, the actions of certain tour groups have caused concern.
Ed Garcia Conde says for years he has been watching buses full of tourists come to the same location each day, take pictures and leave. So he finally took out his cellphone to capture what was happening. He says dozens of tourists were dropped off by buses in front of the 42nd Precinct for photo-ops.
According to Conde, the location is where the 1981 movie 'Fort Apache, The Bronx' was filmed. Conde says when he videotaped what was happening last Saturday, it was the first time he saw five buses stopping traffic on Third Avenue.
Conde's biggest concern is that they are not spending time in the neighborhood and contributing to the area. 
Olga Luz Tirado, director of the Bronx Tourism Council, says tourists are welcome to the area, but not if they are going to exploit the community.
In 2013, Tirado and the tourism council got a tour company shut down after it advertised it would show tourists a real New York ghetto in the Bronx at a safe distance.
Community advocates and the tourism council are now working to find out what tour company is involved in bringing the people to the area for photo-ops.