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I really wanted to believe that it could be ethical but the experience confirmed that any wildlife experience that allows you to touch the animals does not have the welfare of the animal in mind. & yet, as upsetting as it is, this still isn't as cruel as how we treat cows, pigs, and chickens in the animal agriculture industry.
After being trapped in our houses for ages during COVID-19, travel and tourism spiked like crazy once the threat was gone. Research suggests that an estimated 1.4 billion tourists traveled internationally in 2024, indicating a virtual recovery (99%) of pre-pandemic levels. With this boost also came the rise in "tourist traps," all thanks to social media.
As you scroll through the list, you might be nodding along to some of these tourist activities that were so hyped up that travelers did them just for that sake and then later regretted them. While some of these tales became amusing memories, some, unfortunately, also extracted a lot of bucks from people, which was a bummer as nobody wants to waste money in this economy.
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#5
I regretted going almost immediately. Got there and the tigers were very obviously [intoxicated]. I know the temple denied any accusations of [intoxicating] the animals, but the way those tigers slept through being manhandled and posed for pictures was not natural.
Years later, it came to light that the temple was involved in the illegal animal trade, amongst other things. It was shut down in 2016. If there's one touristy thing I've done I wish I could take back it's giving my money to that place.
#6
To understand more about such unnecessarily hyped-up tourist activities, Bored Panda interviewed Saee and Nikhil, avid travelers who document their travel stories on their Instagram account, apparentlytrippy. While they have traveled to over 22 countries, the number of destinations is too many to count, as every country has multiple wonderful spots.
They told us that this FOMO is a very real threat, and of course, it doesn't really hit you until after you do the activity and realize that you have fallen victim to it. They also stressed the importance of being "smart travelers" in this age, where there are so many enticing things that are nothing but tourist traps.
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When we asked the couple whether they had ever experienced such a tourist activity, both of them exclaimed yes! "Back when we first started traveling extensively, we decided to visit Venice and heard and read tons of awesome things about the gondola rides. We thought we would go there and see for ourselves whether we want to do it," Nikhil explained.
Saee added that after actually going there and seeing all the hubbub about it, they stood in a long line to get a ticket, and the cheapest one was €80! "While it might be our mistake that we didn't book it online before (which was still €35 for the cheapest one), it was not really an 'unforgettable' experience as we thought it would be. After the 30 minutes were up, we were left wondering whether it was really worth €80," she said.
#10
I can still taste it 5 years later.
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"Another such disappointing thing was the Cube House in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Luckily, the ticket was cheap (just €3!), but we waited in a really long line for it, and we will definitely not recommend it as one of the top things to do in the city," Nikhil noted.
Saee emphasized that while the architecture looks quite intriguing from the outside, it's quite anti-climactic from the inside. According to her, it's this exact exterior that lures people to come and explore from within, but with a lot of people rushing past you in the tiny, cramped space, it becomes difficult to even step anywhere. "We really regretted wasting so much time standing in line for that one!" she exclaimed.
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#14
Next day, I took the vaporetto at night, and it was way more cool experience for a fraction of cost of a gondola ride.
#15
Well, like they said, it's important to be a smart traveler today when social media is out to send you a shower of FOMO when you travel anywhere or plan your next trip. Now, dear readers, we want to hear your thoughts about the list and if you have ever experienced something similar. Feel free to type away in the comments. Also, don't forget to upvote the ones you can relate to the most from our list!
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