The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (July 2009)

In geography, a honeypot is a particularly popular visitor attraction which attracts tourists (and sometimes locals) in large numbers.^[1] The term 'honeypot' originates from bees buzzing around a hive.

[edit] Tourism planning

Honeypots are frequently used by cities or countries to manage their tourism industry. The use of honeypots can protect fragile land away from major cities while satisfying tourists. One such example is the construction of local parks to prevent tourists from damaging more valuable ecosystems farther from their main destination. Honeypots have the added benefit of concentrating a large number of income-generating visitors in one place, thus developing that area, and in turn making the area more appealing to tourists.^[2] However, honeypots can suffer from problems of overcrowding, including litter, crime, and strain on facilities and transport networks.^[1]

The once sleepy medieval village has attracted an increasing number of visitors over recent years and is a classic example of a tourist 'honeypot' . . . Ste. Enimie is one of these 'designated' places that are designed to attract people to it and therefore reduct the impact on the surrounding area.^[3]

[edit] Examples

Examples in the United Kingdom include Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District, Bakewell in Derbyshire, Swanage, Lulworth Cove and Studland Heath in Dorset, Box Hill on the North Downs of Surrey, Castleton in the Peak District and Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales, mostly within the National Parks of England and Wales but the phenomenon can occur anywhere popular such as Cheddar Gorge or the Cotswold towns such as Burford, Chipping Campden and Winchcombe.

Larger honeypots outside of the U.K. include the Grand Canyon, Yosemite Valley, and the Great Pyramid in Egypt.

[edit] References