26 Places That Were Tourist Gold Until Everyone Forgot They Existed
Article created by: Denis Krotovas
Just a couple of decades ago, Britain had a large number of popular resorts – at least among locals. Investing in the tourism business was profitable – but nothing good actually lasts long. Low-cost airlines and globalization were absolutely ruthless – if you can fly to Spain for a couple of dozen euros, why pay more for the opportunity to swim in the cold North Sea?
In fact, there are dozens and hundreds of places in the world that were once a real paradise for tourists, but today they have either fallen into disrepair or have significantly lost their appeal. And in this popular online thread, many seasoned travelers point out such places worldwide.
More info: Reddit
Lebanon used to be extremely popular. It was considered the Switzerland of the East. The cafe culture in places like Beruit and Byblos along the Mediterranean was extremely popular in the 60’s and 70’s.
It hasn’t had a working government in several years. It’s currency is devalued by 95% since 2019 (one dollar is 89,000 LBP). It’s support and sending it’s militias in to close by conflicts isn’t helping.
Syria! Unfortunately not forgotten about or abandoned, but attacked. If you find old tourist books, they will often recommend Syria over Jordan as a tourist destination. Six world heritage sites, many of them now damaged or destroyed.
It is desperately sad, the industry is picking up somewhat in recent times, but the tourists may never fully return.
Basically every British seaside resort town now that you can take Ryan air to Spain for under 30£ each way.
Anything related to route 66. I’ve never experienced it myself but from the movies and general media back in the day “going down route 66” used to be a thing.
The Catskill mountains in upstate New York! Formerly a huge tourist destination for mainly Jewish residents of NYC, nowadays, it’s littered with defunct resorts and abandoned buildings. It’s quite economically depressed nowadays.
The movie Dirty Dancing takes place there in the 1960s (when the area started declining) and at the very end of the movie, the resort owner makes a comment that more widespread travel – such as trips to Europe – is causing the decline. .
Beirut until the civil war wrecked it. I knew someone who grew up there, it was the happening glamorous beach resort of the Middle East in the early 70s.
Varosha, Cyprus: Former Mediterranean resort that attracted celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor in the 1960s before becoming a ghost town after the 1974 Turkish invasion
Spreepark, Berlin: East Germany’s only amusement park that attracted 1.7 million visitors annually before closing in 2001
It might not work for this because it’s still a major city, but I always think about Mogadishu, Somalia – Pearl of the Indian Ocean and fascinating history as a trading city.
* Rangitoto, New Zealand – Volcanic island off Auckland that was a tourist destination 100 years ago or so, there are several abandoned holiday homes there, still standing.
* Acapulco, Mexico – Was THE destination in the 50’s and 60’s, now infamous for cartel violence.
* Salton Sea, California – Accidental lake in Southern California that was a tourism hotspot, then became hazardous/toxic and was abandoned.
In terms of current destinations, there are several hotspots that don’t have the infrastructure to support growth and will go to hell if demand declines. Tulum and Bali come to mind.
There’s an abandoned resort with multiple hotels in Kupari, Croatia (close to Dubrovnik). It’s a pretty neat place! It was abandoned after Croatia’s war of independence in the 90s.
Michigan’s entire UP used to filled with booming mining towns. Now it’s tourism and colleges so some parts feel abandoned. It is SUCH an underrated treasure though.
If you include amusement parks, **Marineland** in Niagara Falls, Ont.
I’ll never be able to forget the commercials (which were on Upstate NY TV stations for decades.).
Hashima Island (Gunkanjima), Japan: Industrial tourism site with record population density in the 1950s, abandoned in 1974 when coal mining ceased
