Tourist trap

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This article is about a type of commercial establishment. For the novel, see Charles Ogden (children's writer). For the horror movie, see Tourist Trap.
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A billboards advertising a tourist trap
A billboards advertising a tourist trap

A tourist trap is a an establishment, or group of establishments, that has been created with the aim of attracting tourists[1] and their money. Tourist traps will typically provide products and souvenirs for tourists to purchase, and these will often be at inflated prices (compared to the local economy).

While the term may have negative connotations for some, such establishments may be viewed by tourists as fun and interesting diversions. The term is somewhat ambiguous; the sort of tourist trap common in the US, for example, is slightly different to that found in Europe.

Contents

[edit] Goods

Typically goods available for purchase will include souvenirs and curiosities embossed with the name of the establishment and or local points of interest. Additional products may include the normal range of items found in a Gift shop.

[edit] Tourist traps in the US

[edit] Goods and activities

As with elsewhere, tourist traps in the US provide an opportunity to separate a consumer from their money and are oriented primarily towards non-native or non-local consumers. But in the US, a tourist trap typically refers to a diversion from a genuine point of interest. Because the tourist is on her or his way to a particular attraction, the tourist trap will either offer a distinctly contrary experience or an allied experience. They will offer up "unique" natural or artificial features (the "World's Largest Ball of Twine" or "Silver Springs") that can only be had at the particular stop, and will then offer up conveniences or activities to entertain and capitalize upon the stopped tourist.

[edit] Activities

Activities at US tourist traps vary greatly based in part on the surrounding economy and infrastructure. In some areas like Ishpeming, Michigan, Flush toilets may be a sufficient draw to entice tourist to stop as they are not readily available at many tourist facilities in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.[2] Wall Drug, in South Dakota, began its tourist trade simply by offering ice water.[3] In other locations like Anaheim, California more robust activates are required to draw a tourist to a specific activity over a competitor's activity. Other activities may include, thematic restaurants, arcade games, wax museums, collections of unique artifacts, and so on.

Fremont Street Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fremont Street Las Vegas, Nevada.

[edit] Mule rides

Ralph H. Cameron[4] a former resident of Maine, traveled west with his brothers around 1880. Arriving in Flagstaff, Arizona where they took up sheep herding. Ralph visited the nearby Grand Canyon and realizing its potential as a tourist trap began acquiring properties. Before the Grand Canyon became a National Monument in 1906 the Cameron’s and accomplices had secured over 100 claims including some of the most scenic. They improved an old Indian trail that would become Bright Angel Trail and began charging tourists a dollar toll. For an additional fee you could rent a mule to take you to the bottom of the canyon. At the bottom of the Grand Canyon the trapped tourist would have an opportunity to be sheared again as they were given an opportunity to hire a mule to carry them back to the top! Other opportunities to separate tourists from their dollars included charging for comfort stations.[5] In 1928 after a legal battle Coconino Country gained ownership of the profitable toll trail.[6] It costs more than a dollar now but you can still rent a mule to take you down the canyon. The web site[7] does not list the cost for the ride down or back up.

[edit] Size

Tourist traps range significantly in size, from a single tree[8][9] to the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. There may be valid arguments to include traps that are bigger or smaller than these as well.

"Da Yoopers Tourist Trap" in Upper Michigan
"Da Yoopers Tourist Trap" in Upper Michigan

[edit] Stop and Shop

A few establishments take pride in the term and embody it into their names, such as "Da Yoopers Tourist Trap"[2] in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and "The TOURIST TRAP"[10] at Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Other establishments like The "Trees of Mystery"[11] in Klamath, California avoid the phrase. If the term is embraced or not, regardless of the price of products, the two things that most tourist stops have in common are restrooms and items for sale with the name the establishment or other nearby points of interest.

[edit] Goods and activities

European Tourist traps differ from the American variety in that they are typically based at, or very near, historical centres.

[edit] Examples

[edit] Asia

[edit] Europe

[edit] North America

[edit] South America

[edit] Popular culture references

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

These kinds of attractions find their way into popular culture. A few examples, in addition to the Charles Ogden book and the horror film mentioned elsewhere on this page:

  • In an episode of I Love Lucy, in which the four main players are driving to California, they see a sign advertising a Praline Pecans shop hundreds of miles away. As they approach its location, the signs appear with greater frequency, and their interest grows, only to learn that the store is out of business.
  • An episode of Kojak titled "Tourist Trap" is about a crime boss conducting an illegal immigration scheme, to provide workers for businesses he owns.
  • In the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation, Ellen Griswold ridicules her husband, Clark, for being distracted trying to find attractions such as "the world's largest ball of twine" on their way to their actual destination, the fictional amusement park called "Wally World".
  • The Adventure Game Sam and Max Hit the Road largely takes place at a series of tourist traps across the United States.
  • In the novel American Gods by Neil Gaiman, tourist traps are hypothesized to be built in areas of great spiritual energy in America, much like shrines or stone monoliths might mark such spots in other parts of the world.
  • Folk act Bright Eyes has a song called Tourist Trap on their 2007 Four Winds EP.
  • In Michael (1996 film) the archangel Michael insists in stopping at several tourist traps.
  • In House of 1000 Corpses The group of young victims stop at Captain Spaulding's Museum of Monsters and Madmen, a tourist trap and gas station.
  • In the graphic novel The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning, the mutants refer to their deal with gas station employees, who trick people into going into the mutants' domain where they are cannibalized, as a "tourist trap". [13]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gaines, Barbara K. (May 31, 1986). Idiomatic American English: A Step-By-Step Workbook for Learning Everyday American Expressions. Kodansha International, 85. 0870117564. 
  2. ^ a b Da Yoopers Tourist Trap & Museum (Web). Ishpeming, Michigan, Business web site. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  3. ^ WallDrug.com (web). The Wall Drug Store got its start during the Depression years by offering Free Ice Water to thirsty travelers (2007). Retrieved on 2008-02-04.
  4. ^ Cameron, Ralph Henry, (1863 -1953); Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  5. ^ Horace M. Albright and Marian Albright Schenck: “Creating the National Park Service: The Missing Years, Page 265, University of Oklahoma Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8061-3155-1
  6. ^ Ribokas, Bob (Copyright © Bob Ribokas, 1994-2001). Cameron, Ralph on Grand Canyon Explorer (Web). Grand Canyon Explorer. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  7. ^ Canyon Trail Rides “The Only Ride in the National Parks” (Web). Howdy Partner Come Ride With Us. Local Matters, Inc. (© Copyrighted 1997/98). Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  8. ^ The Eternal Tree House in Redcrest on the Redwood Highway (Web). TUNNELTREE and CALIFPOSTCARD Home Pages (© 2003). Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  9. ^ Drive thru "The Stump" at the Redwood Shop near Pepperwood, Calif (Web). TUNNELTREE and CALIFPOSTCARD Home Pages (© 2003). Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  10. ^ The TOURIST TRAP (Web). Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, Business web site (©Copyright 2003 - The Tiurist Trap). Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  11. ^ Trees of Mystery (Web). Klamath, California, Business web site. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  12. ^ Dutton, Michael (Jan 13, 1999). Streetlife China (Cambridge Modern China Series). 0521637198: Cambridge University Press, 232. 0521637198. 
  13. ^ The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning
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