Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the Witch Trials of 1692. That history turned the small town into a Halloween destination, with more than 1 million people flocking there in the month of October alone. It’s so crowded that residents can’t get down the street, walk into a shop, or sit down at a restaurant. How does a small town like Salem deal with a flood of visitors in just one month of the year? And is it really worth it for the people who live there?    



SHOW NOTES:

<a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-were-the-salem-witch-trials">The Salem Witch Trials: A Story of Patriarchy, Persecution and Misogyny</a>
<a href="https://kristensollee.com/books">Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdxttwZ9d5c">How Salem, Massachusetts Became America’s Halloween Capital</a>

<a href="https://www.boston.com/travel/new-england-travel/2023/10/16/visit-these-12-halloween-towns-that-arent-salem/?p1=article_recirc_inline_feed">Visit these 12 Halloween towns</a> that aren’t Salem
Salem residents share <a href="https://berkeleybeacon.com/salem-residents-share-perspectives-on-tourist-crowds/">perspectives on tourist crowds</a>

How a Destination Goes Viral

Travel can do amazing things: broaden horizons, build relationships, and rejuvenate the soul. But often, those experiences come at a cost. This is Peak Travel, a new podcast from WHYY about how travel shapes communities in hot-spots around the world. We’ll share the wonder that comes with exploring new places, as well as the harm that our worst travel habits can cause. And we’ll try to figure out how we can do it better.Each episode transports you to a new destination. You’ll meet the people who call that place home, hear their stories, and come to understand how tourism has changed their everyday lives. Supported by rich, on-location sound from around the world, Peak Travel unpacks the $1.9 trillion travel industry and its impact on people and the planet.