Chapter 4: Political Economy

    Yes, you may enjoy the cool weather of San Francisco, but it is not the only reason why I recommend visiting or vacationing in the city. Well it is not a coincidence that the largest tertiary-sector employer in the city would be tourism. San Francisco actually attracts the fourth largest number of foreign tourists in the whole United States. In my own opinion and experience, the reason why tourists are so attracted to the city is because there are an endless amount of sightseeing. Not only does it have the many beautiful sceneries of the bay and skyline, it also has the countless number of landmarks and unique ethnic districts. You can even visit historical sites, like the famous district of Haight-Ashbury.

Haight-Asbury: known to be the center of the Hippie Movemenet

  Another big business in the tertiary-sector is their banking business. Thanks to the California Gold Rush, San Francisco became a very big banking and financial center in the west coast. In fact, Montgomery Street became known as "the Wall Street of the west". The city is home to many well known banks today such as Wells Fargo and The Pacific Stock Exchange. Even Bank of America was founded in the city.

Financial District

   The final factor to consider in San Francisco's economy is the Dot-Com Bubble. In the 1990s, the internet began to flourish and many businesses related to the field began to pop up in the Bay Area. Many large companies that we know today have started up in San Francisco like Craiglists, Twitter, and Wikpedia.
   With all these factors considered, it is no wonder San Francisco is such a notable city in the United States and even the world. It has a very interesting mix between its ethnic and fiancial districts.

source:
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/S-F-tourism-picks-up-but-spending-stays-flat-3253943.php
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/New-jobs-houses-spur-S-F-population-in-2007-3284112.php
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