A
tourist attraction is a place of interest where
tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities.
thumb|left|200px|Sea otters like this one near [[Moss Landing, California|Moss Landing are a tourist attraction in the
Monterey Bay area in
California.]]
Some examples include historical places,
monuments,
zoos,
aquaria,
museums and
art galleries,
botanical gardens, buildings and structures (e.g.,
castles,
libraries, former
prisons,
skyscrapers,
bridges), national
parks and
forests,
theme parks and
carnivals,
living history museums,
ethnic enclave communities,
historic trains and cultural events. Many tourist attractions are also
landmarks.
Tourist attractions are also created to capitalise on unexplained phenomena such as a supposed
UFO crash site near
Roswell, New Mexico and the alleged
Loch Ness monster sightings in
Scotland. Ghost sightings also make tourist attractions.
Ethnic communities may become tourist attractions, such as
Chinatowns in the United States and the black British neighborhood of
Brixton in
London, England.
In the US, owners and marketers of attractions advertise tourist attractions on billboards along the side of highways and roadways, especially in remote areas. Tourist attractions often provide free promotional brochures and flyers in information centres, fast food restaurants,
hotel and
motel rooms or lobbies, and
rest areas.
While some tourist attractions provide visitors a memorable experience for a reasonable admission charge or even for free, others can have a tendency to be of low quality and to overprice their goods and services (such as admission, food, and souvenirs) in order to profit from tourists excessively. Such places are commonly known as
tourist traps.
See also
Category:TourismCategory:Tourist activities da:Seværdighedde:Sehenswürdigkeites:Atracción turísticaeo:Vidindaĵofr:Attraction touristiqueid:Tempat wisatahu:Turisztikai látnivalónl:Bezienswaardigheidja:観光地no:Turistattraksjonpl:Atrakcyjność turystycznapt:Atração turísticaru:Достопримечательностьfi:Nähtävyyssv:Sevärdhetta:சுற்றுலா ஈர்ப்பு
