Caught in the maze: Exploration of the ‘tourist trap’ phenomenon

Polus, Reni; Nautiyal, Rajesh; Nautiyal, Ashish

Abstract

This research note explores the intricate nature of tourist traps, going beyond the prevalent negative stigma attached to them. While the term tourist trap is casually used, only a limited number of scholars have investigated the intricacies of this phenomenon, and there is a scarcity of empirical research on this topic. Using a Reflective Collaborative Autoethnography (RCA) approach, this research note presents a reflective analysis of the authors’ experience with the phenomenon. Through this exploration, we uncover insights in both psychological and tangible dimensions, contributing to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of tourist traps. Expanding from the findings, this research note conceptualises the concept of a tourist trap from a dual-perspective framework that considers both supply and demand aspects. This framework goes beyond the traditional focus on product or service quality, providing a more nuanced discourse on the multifaceted nature of tourist traps.

Citation

Polus, R., Nautiyal, R., & Nautiyal, A. (2025). Caught in the maze: Exploration of the ‘tourist trap’ phenomenon. Tourism Management, 106, Article 105009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2024.105009

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 22, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Aug 25, 2024
• Publication Date: 2025-02
• Deposit Date: Aug 9, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 9, 2024
• Journal: Tourism Management
• Print ISSN: 0261-5177
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 106
• Article Number: 105009
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2024.105009