Attractions, Entertainment, Recreation, and Other Tourist Draws - Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies - page 191

Shopping leads as the
number-one activity while
traveling. Vacation
shopping is one of the
features of Old Town in
Kissimmee, Florida. Photo
courtesyofOldTown.

cuisine. For visitors on the run, the International Food Court offers 20 fast-food eateries. Bayside is also
the only entertainment venue in the city offering free concerts every day of the year.
The in Bloomington, Minnesota, is the largest mall in the United States in terms of

retail space. Excursion motorcoach tours in Minnesota and nearby states now feature packages with
Mall of America as their destination. This mall is particularly attractive to children because it features
Lego

Mall of America

s gigantic space station, dinosaurs, a medieval castle, and other intricate creations. They can also
enjoy Knott

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s Camp Snoopy and plenty of rides. There are 14 theaters in the Upper East Side
entertainment district, plus a comedy club, sports bars, and a variety of nightclubs.
While shopping at the

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in Alberta, Canada, one can view sharks from a
submarine, live a Roman fantasy, or soak in a bubble- lled spa near a volcano. This mall is the largest in
the world. It even contains a full-scale replica of Columbus

West Edmonton Mall

s ship Santa Maria, roulette wheels, the Ice
Palace, and, of course, hundreds of stores, plus some theme parks.

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s number-one
attraction, drawing in 21 million visitors a year. The world-famous Banff National Park, Alberta,
Canada, draws about 4 million visitors a year.
Factory outlet shopping malls have become major attractions for U.S. and international travelers.
There are approximately 325 outlet centers scattered over the United States, occupying more than
50 million square feet of space. Over 13,000 stores are open in factory outlets. An example of an
outlet shopping mall is Sawgrass Mills, the 2.3-million-square-foot complex in Sunrise, Florida. It is the
largest outlet mall in the United States combining retail and entertainment and is second only to Walt
Disney World as the most popular tourist attraction in the state, according to the Mills Corporation
(now Simon Property Group), which developed it. Over 25 million people annually tramp through the
mile-long stretch of stores, from Bed Bath & Beyond to the Ann Taylor Loft; about 7 million shoppers
come from abroad.

It is Alberta '