Tourist attraction: Difference between revisions

 

==Types==

Places of natural beauty such as [[beach]]es, tropical [[island resort]]s, national [[park]]s, [[mountain]]s, [[desert]]s and [[forest]]s, are examples of traditional tourist attractions which people may visit. Cultural tourist attractions can include historical places, sites of significant historic [[wikt:event|event]], [[monument]]s, ancient [[temple]]s, [[zoo]]s, [[public aquarium|aquaria]], [[museum]]s and [[art galleries]], [[botanical garden]]s, buildings and structures (such as [[List of forts|forts]], [[castle]]s, [[library|libraries]], former [[prison]]s, [[skyscraper]]s, [[bridge]]s), [[theme park]]s and [[carnival]]s, [[living history museum]]s, [[public art]] ([[sculpture]]s, [[statue]]s, [[mural]]s), [[ethnic enclave]] communities, [[heritage railway|historic trains]] and cultural events. Factory tours, industrial heritage, creative art and crafts workshops are the object of cultural niches like [[industrial tourism]] and creative tourism. Many tourist attractions are also [[landmark]]s. But sports events such as a soccer game, Formula 1 race or sailing regatta can also attract tourists.

 

Tourists' expectations when visiting a particular place are related to several features of the chosen destination: culture, architecture, gastronomy, infrastructure, landscape, events, shopping, etc. These features attract people to the destination and contribute to the overall experience of the trip.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Pompeu Fabra University]] |location=Barcelona |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190408114002.htm |title=What most attracts us to a tourist destination? Attractions, culture and gastronomy |date=April 8, 2019 |website=[[ScienceDaily]]}}</ref> The ultimate primary purpose of attractions is to attract the customer's attention so that they can come to a specific location and explore the various attractions on vacation. In the travel and tourism industry, attractions therefore play a particularly important role as this attracts tourists from all over the world.<ref>Burkhard Schnepel, Felix Girke, Eva-Maria Knoll: Kultur all inclusive. Identität, Tradition und Kulturerbe im Zeitalter des Massentourismus. (2013)</ref><ref>Steven Pike, "Destination Marketing Essentials", Oxford, (2016).</ref><ref>Rolf Hochreiter/Ulrich Arndt, Die Tourismusindustrie: Eine Markt- und Wettbewerbsanalayse, (1978), p. 111.</ref>

 

Tourist attractions are also created to capitalize on legends such as a supposed [[Unidentified flying object|UFO]] crash site near [[Roswell, New Mexico]] and the alleged [[Loch Ness monster]] sightings in [[Scotland]]. Ethnic communities may become tourist attractions, such as [[Chinatown]]s in the [[United States]] and the black British neighborhood of [[Brixton]] in [[London]], England. Tourists also look for special local [[Cuisine|culinary]] experiences such as street kitchens in Asian metropolises<ref>See: Françoise Hauser "Reisen: Singapurs Streetfood ist Weltkulturerbe zum Essen" In: Die Welt, 25.01.2021.</ref> or the [[Viennese coffee house|coffeehouse culture in Central Europe]]. In particular, [[cultural property]] and the individual places of the [[UNESCO World Heritage]] Site have developed into tourist attractions. If too many tourists frequent individual places, this can lead to environmental pollution and resistance from the local population, such as in Barcelona or Venice. With regard to this whole subject, there are already lists of destinations that are not recommended to tourists.<ref>{{cite web|first=Hannah |last=Ellis-Petersen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/03/thailand-bay-made-famous-by-the-beach-closed-indefinitely |title=Thailand bay made famous by The Beach closed indefinitely |work=The Guardian |location=Bangkok |date=October 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Thomas |last=Urban |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/reise/spanien-barcelona-geht-gegen-den-massentourismus-an-1.3895599 |title=Barcelona geht gegen den Massentourismus an |trans-title=Barcelona tackles mass tourism |work=[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] |date=March 13, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Geoff |last=Whitmore |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffwhitmore/2019/11/19/5-destinations-suffering-from-overtourism-and-where-to-go-instead/ |title=5 Destinations Suffering From Overtourism (And Where To Go Instead) |magazine=Forbes |date=November 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/places-to-avoid-2018/index.html |title=12 destinations travelers might want to avoid in 2018 |last=Minihane |first=Joe |website=CNN |date=January 22, 2018 |access-date=December 21, 2020 |archive-date=January 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108182812/https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/places-to-avoid-2018/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

There are innumerable lists and reviews of tourist attractions. Visitor statistics, cultural significance, beauty or age are used and these always reflect the author's personal assessments. Sometimes it is particularly emphasized that this particular tourist attraction has not yet been in the focus of the international tourism industry. Some of the sights are internationally known or target the national or local market. Some attractions are reserved for the local population or are rarely advertised because the main traffic routes and main airports are too far away.

In the United States, owners and marketers of attractions advertise tourist attractions on billboards along the sides of highways and roadways, especially in remote areas. Tourist attractions often distribute free promotional brochures to be displayed in [[rest area]]s, information centers, fast food restaurants, and [[motel]] rooms or lobbies.

 

 

==Examples==

===Human-made attractions===

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File:The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling-edit.jpg|The [[Great Wall of China]], a popular tourist attraction.

File:Paris 06 Eiffelturm 4828.jpg|The [[Eiffel Tower]] in [[Paris]], [[France]], a popular tourist attraction. Almost 7 million visit the tower each year.{{cn|date=September 2022}}

</gallery>

 

<gallery>

File:Athens Acropolis Museum frieze 05.jpg|[[Acropolis Museum]], with finds and objects from the Acropolis of Athens.

File:Musei Vaticani. Braccio Nuovo.JPG|[[Vatican Museums]], one of the most famous museums in the world.

File:NYC - Guggenheim Museum.jpg|[[Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum]], the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, founded in 1939.

</gallery>