a tourist trap idiom

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tourist trap

Definition of tourist trap

Examples of tourist trap in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tourist trap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1942, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near tourist trap

tourist season

Cite this Entry

“Tourist trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tourist%20trap. Accessed 20 Aug. 2024.

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Tourist trap

| Grammarist

Tourist trap is an idiom that has been in use since the mid-1900s. We will examine the meaning of the idiom tourist trap , where it came from, and some examples of its use in sentences.

A tourist trap is a roadside attraction that caters to travelers. Generally, a tourist trap is a place where one may partake of an activity that is not considered edifying and then may buy cheap trinkets to take home as souvenirs. A tourist trap exists solely for entertainment that is usually lowbrow . For instance an art museum is not considered a tourist trap , but a museum dedicated to the world’s largest ball of string or a go-kart track are considered tourist traps. Most people who stop at tourist traps understand what they are getting into and enjoy the silliness of the attraction. The plural form is tourist traps . Primarily an American phenomenon in the early years, the idiom tourist trap came into use in the 1940s, presumably when the average family began to take vacations on the open road.

Examples A red Jeep Grand Cherokee abandoned on Myrtle Beach became somewhat of a tourist trap on Thursday as Hurricane Dorian bore down on the Carolinas. ( The Washington Examiner ) As a fortress, it was useless, but as an iconic tourist trap destination it’s been priceless. ( The Herald Banner) This weekend’s issue of The New York Times Magazine features the discarded Adickes remnants of a former tourist trap called President’s Park. ( Houstonia Magazine ) A tourist trap can be a city (Prague), an attraction (Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco), a purpose-built resort (Cancun) or a cheap tuk-tuk ride that involves a detour to a gem shop. ( The South China Morning Post )

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Tourist trap

A place that is overpriced and which attracts tourists.

My friend thinks that Hawaii is a tourist trap and he does not want to go there for his holiday.

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Definition of tourist trap noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

tourist trap

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tourist trap

• a place, as a restaurant, shop, or hotel, that exploits tourists by overcharging.

Example Sentences

This strip is overpopulated with tourist traps, such as mini-golf courses, scooter rental spots, souvenir shops and eateries.

Self-awareness versus self-importance—that is the primary divide between a real steak shop and a tourist trap.

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Meaning of tourist trap in English

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• be the armpit of something idiom
• inhospitably
• sausage machine
• the Black Hole of Calcutta

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serious and determined, especially too serious and unable to find your own actions funny

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Definition of 'tourist trap'

Tourist trap in american english.

tourist trap in British English

Examples of 'tourist trap' in a sentence tourist trap

Browse alphabetically tourist trap.

• tourist town
• tourist trade
• tourist traffic
• tourist trap
• tourist visa
• tourist visits
• tourist zone
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Please show me example sentences with tourist trap . Tell me as many daily expressions as possible.

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"Don't go there, it a tourist trap." It means an overpriced store that only exists to trick tourist into buying very expensive souvenirs and food.

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@Duong249 it is a tourist trap

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Tourist traps

Level B2 / C1

Topic Lifestyle ESL lesson plans

Lesson plan overview

This ESL lesson is dedicated to the topic of tourist traps and destinations that are overrated. Students will learn advanced vocabulary to talk about tourist traps and to give warnings, will watch a short video about tourist traps in London, and will discuss their own experiences. You can combine this lesson with “ Travel destinations ”, “ Accessible tourism “, “ Dark tourism ”, “ Phrasal verbs: travel ”, “ Idioms: holidays ”, and “ Idioms: summer ”.

Speaking: Students are given photos of 9 popular places people like to visit and they share their knowledge and experiences about each place.

Vocabulary: Students read 10 reviews of different places and match the words in bold ( overpriced, overrated, tourist trap, live up to, rip-off ) to their definitions. Then they go back to the previous activity and discuss why these places might be considered tourist traps. To practise, students write 5 short reviews about different places they’ve been to and discuss 3 questions given.

Listening: Students watch a video “The worst tourist traps in London” and fill a table with the required information. Then they discuss whether or not they agree with the speaker and how tourist traps can be avoided.

Vocabulary: Students learn verbs and expressions used to give cautions and warnings. First, they complete the sentences given with the correct preposition. To practise, they complete 8 sentences with the correct verb. 

Speaking: Finally, students use all the vocabulary seen in this lesson to create a brochure warning travellers about tourist traps in their city.

For more speaking practice, use the conversation cards.

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tourist trap noun

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What does the noun tourist trap mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun tourist trap . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun tourist trap ?

Where does the noun tourist trap come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun tourist trap is in the 1930s.

OED's earliest evidence for tourist trap is from 1939, in the writing of Graham Greene, author.

tourist trap is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: tourist n. , trap n. 1

Nearby entries

• tourist flight, n. 1959–
• tourist guide, n. 1924–
• touristic, adj. 1848–
• touristical, adj. 1863–
• touristically, adv. 1928–
• touristing, n. 1883–
• tourist park, n. 1927–
• touristry, n. 1878–
• touristship, n. 1849–
• tourist track, n. 1912–
• tourist trap, n. 1939–
• Tourist Trophy, n. 1907–
• touristy, adj. 1906–
• tourize, v. 1837–
• tour jeté, n. 1935–
• tourmaline, n. 1760–
• tourmalinic, adj. 1880–
• tourmalinite, n. 1896–
• tourmalinization, n. 1899–
• tourmalinize, v. 1899–
• tourmente, n. 1847–

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Meaning & use

Entry history for tourist trap, n..

Originally published as part of the entry for tourist, n.

tourist, n. was first published in 1913; not yet revised.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the OED, Volume IV (1986)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View tourist in OED Second Edition

Please submit your feedback for tourist trap, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.

Citation details

Factsheet for tourist trap, n., browse entry.

Phrase Finder

Trap Phrases

Phrases with trap in them.

• Keep your trap shut
• Pony and trap (Cockney rhyming slang for crap)
• Shut your trap
• The Parent Trap (Hayley Mills movie)
• The Tender Trap (Frank Sinatra movie)
• Tourist trap
• Trap and ball (children's ball game)

Phrases about trap

• A tight corner
• Alligator bait (a reference to the alleged practice of using black babies to lure alligators into traps)
• Any time, anywhere, acid indigestion can catch you out (Alka Selzer advertising slogan)
• Bait and switch
• Blind corner
• Can of corn (A baseball expression meaning a ball which is easy to catch )
• Catch 22 (Joseph Heller book)
• Catch a case
• Catch a cold
• Catch a falling star
• Catch a wave
• Catch as catch can
• Catch of the day
• Catch our smile (PSA advertising slogan)
• Catch some rays
• Catch some zzzs
• Catch that Pepsi spirit. Drink it in, drink it in, drink it in (Pepsi advertising slogan)
• Catch you later
• Catch your breath
• Catch your death of cold
• Catch your eye
• Click bait (an eye ctaching word or image on a website)
• Coffin corner
• Corner the market
• Does the trick
• Don't fence me in
• Drive someone into a corner
• Every trick in the book
• First catch your hare
• Fish or cut bait
• Go to a neutral corner
• If the sky falls we shall catch larks
• In your corner
• It takes a thief to catch a thief
• Jimmy Horner (Cockney rhyming slang for corner )
• Just around the corner
• Kitty corner
• Little Jack Horner sat in a corner (line from nursery rhyme)
• Never misses a trick
• One trick pony
• Paint yourself into a corner
• Painted into a corner
• Play catch up
• Poacher turned gamekeeper
• Prize catch
• Rise to the bait
• Set a thief to catch a thief
• Sprat to catch a mackerel
• Take the bait
• The Indian rope trick
• The Naughty Corner
• Trick of the light
• Trick or treat
• Turn a trick
• Turn the corner
• What's the catch?
• Where's the catch?
• You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar
• You couldn’t catch a monkey with a shotgun and a sack

Browse more Phrases

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tourist trap

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The vast majority of travelers stop at tourist traps. Here are 5 in Boston worth a visit.

N obody plans to jump from tourist trap to tourist trap when visiting a new place. Yet nearly 9 out of 10 Americans admit to visiting a tourist trap in the past year, according to a recent PhotoAiD study.

What defines a tourist trap? Typically, it’s unnecessarily high prices, long lines, lack of cultural authenticity, and a gift shop full of things you definitely don’t need but suddenly must have.

While almost 70 percent of travelers felt their visit to a tourist trap diminished their overall trip experience, there can be beauty in accepting that something may be popular for a reason. Among the top reasons the survey respondents gave for visiting a tourist trap were that friends and family wanted to go; the place was highly recommended in guides, reviews, and on social media; curiosity and personal interest; and because the so-called tourist trap is considered a landmark. After all, is it even a trip to Paris if you don’t go to the Eiffel Tower?

The key might be picking wisely. In that spirit, we’re embracing the “tourist trap” label. When visiting Boston, accept the inevitable, and put these five “tourist traps” at the top of your list.

Union Oyster House

America’s oldest continually-operating restaurant and oyster bar sits on the Freedom Trail, plating up almost 200 years of history. The food has been loved by generations of guests, not to mention the Kennedys. History runs through the veins of the Union Oyster House, and it’s worth grabbing a bite.

The North End and Mike’s Pastry

The North End is a perfect example of an area that’s crowded because it truly can’t be missed. The authenticity of a true Italian neighborhood hasn’t been lost in the years of tourist foot traffic, and while you might have to squeeze down the street and bump elbows with throngs of humanity to enjoy a traditional feast, your taste buds will thank you. And Mike’s Pastry does make a mean cannoli.

Faneuil Hall

The modern-day setup of Faneuil Hall was designed with tourists in mind, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. The historic hall has been a marketplace for over 270 years, and the current food court selection has something to satisfy everyone. The lively street performers and commercial strip provide delights for the whole family.

Boston Duck Tours

Aside from a potential loss of dignity when you’re asked to quack in public, the Boston Duck Tours are a classic experience for tourists and locals alike. It’s a step up from a bus tour, as the vehicle shows off Boston’s most iconic landmarks by traveling both on land and water, providing an experience unlike any other.

USS Constitution Museum

Museums can be hit or miss, especially when traveling with little ones, but visiting the USS Constitution can spur a whole day of sightseeing adventures. Take the water taxi from Long Wharf and enjoy a ride across the harbor. Arrive at the Charlestown Navy Yard, where the Constitution is anchored and history buffs and children alike will enjoy exploring the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy.

The vast majority of travelers stop at tourist traps. Here are 5 in Boston worth a visit.

What did we miss tell us in the comments..

Nobody plans to jump from tourist trap to tourist trap when visiting a new place. Yet nearly 9 out of 10 Americans admit to visiting a tourist trap in the past year, according to a recent PhotoAiD study.

What defines a tourist trap? Typically, it’s unnecessarily high prices, long lines, lack of cultural authenticity, and a gift shop full of things you definitely don’t need but suddenly must have.

While almost 70 percent of travelers felt their visit to a tourist trap diminished their overall trip experience, there can be beauty in accepting that something may be popular for a reason. Among the top reasons the survey respondents gave for visiting a tourist trap were that friends and family wanted to go; the place was highly recommended in guides, reviews, and on social media; curiosity and personal interest; and because the so-called tourist trap is considered a landmark. After all, is it even a trip to Paris if you don’t go to the Eiffel Tower?

Advertisement

The key might be picking wisely. In that spirit, we’re embracing the “tourist trap” label. When visiting Boston, accept the inevitable, and put these five “tourist traps” at the top of your list.

Union Oyster House

America’s oldest continually-operating restaurant and oyster bar sits on the Freedom Trail, plating up almost 200 years of history. The food has been loved by generations of guests, not to mention the Kennedys. History runs through the veins of the Union Oyster House, and it’s worth grabbing a bite.

The North End and Mike’s Pastry

The North End is a perfect example of an area that’s crowded because it truly can’t be missed. The authenticity of a true Italian neighborhood hasn’t been lost in the years of tourist foot traffic, and while you might have to squeeze down the street and bump elbows with throngs of humanity to enjoy a traditional feast, your taste buds will thank you. And Mike’s Pastry does make a mean cannoli.

Faneuil Hall

The modern-day setup of Faneuil Hall was designed with tourists in mind, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. The historic hall has been a marketplace for over 270 years, and the current food court selection has something to satisfy everyone. The lively street performers and commercial strip provide delights for the whole family.

Boston Duck Tours

Aside from a potential loss of dignity when you’re asked to quack in public, the Boston Duck Tours are a classic experience for tourists and locals alike. It’s a step up from a bus tour, as the vehicle shows off Boston’s most iconic landmarks by traveling both on land and water, providing an experience unlike any other.

USS Constitution Museum

Museums can be hit or miss, especially when traveling with little ones, but visiting the USS Constitution can spur a whole day of sightseeing adventures. Take the water taxi from Long Wharf and enjoy a ride across the harbor. Arrive at the Charlestown Navy Yard, where the Constitution is anchored and history buffs and children alike will enjoy exploring the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy.

Claudie Bellanger can be reached at [email protected] .