Tourist Attractions and Theme Parks

Heritage attractions

such as the prehistoric and archaeological sites appeal to those who want to learn about ancient and contemporary civilizations. The ancient monuments of Egypt, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Indonesia, India, Mexico and Peru are examples of heritage attractions.

Recreation attractions

on the other hand are for those who seek exciting adventures. These attractions provide access to indoor and outdoor facilities.

Commercial attractions

are retail operations which deal with gifts, handicrafts, souvenirs and art.

In addition, industrial attractions such as wineries and breweries have long been tourist attractions. Factory surveys show that shopping is the principal activity of both domestic and international visitors.

cultural treasures

also attract millions of visitors every year. Theaters, museums, zoos, aquariums, cultural arts, festivals, shopping and dining are some of the sites and activities that appeal to tourists

Entertainment

particularly musical entertainment, has become popular with tourists as well.

The Evolution of Tourist Attractions

depended on the existence of development of attractions.

Pearce (2001)

a tourist attraction is a named site with a specific human or natural feature which is the focus of visitor and management attention.

Swarbrooke (2001)

defines attractions as single units; individual sites or very small, delimited geographical units based on a single feature.

1. Historic houses

2. Museums and galleries

3. Wildlife attractions

4. Castles

5. Botanical Garden

6. Steam railways

7. Visitor centers

8. Country parks

9. Leisure parks

Classification of Attractions

Ownership

Attractions are owned and managed by organizations, tourists and individuals working in the public. private and not-for-profit-sect ors. In the USA, many attractions are subsidized by charitable donations as well as the voluntary sector.

Admission Policy

Some attractions charge admission fees while others are free to the public attractions are subsidized organizations allow members free entry. Voluntary donations are requested in other attractions such as churches and cathedrals.

Appeal

There are diff. Types of attraction that appeal to diff. Types of tourist.

Foreign tourist

make a large percentage of visits to distilleries and castles.

domestic tourists

Visit to steam railways and country parks are prevailed by

mature visitors

Historic houses. and gardens attract

Size and capacity

Attractions differ in land coverage. Attractions designed for mass tourist are able to receive a large number of visitors. Understanding the capacity of sites is important in terms of mgt. And marketing.

Composition

Many attractions are located in or around a specific point such as a capital city. Events may also be found in one venue or may occur na variety of locations as part of the festival.

Degree of Performance

Built tourist attractions are usually designed with a high degree of performance. Events and festivals have a short duration. Hence, temporary sites and mobile infrastructure are often used.

Number of Visitors

Tourist attractions. receive varying visitor numbers. Some attractions regularly record approximately more than 500,000 visitors while others attract smaller number of travelers.

Theme park

are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a specific location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people.

Bakken opened in 1583 at klampenborg, north of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The oldest amusement park in the world is

amusement park

"Theme park" is often used as a synonym for

Disneyland in Anaheim, California

the first theme park.

amusement park

is more elaborate than a simple city park or playground because it provides attractions to people of all ages