Travel experts at Audley Travel have analyzed data from World Population Review, Tripadvisor, and Rotten Tomatoes to identify the world’s top destinations for spooky travel experiences.
WITNEY, England, Oct. 23, 2024 — The USA holds the top spot for the most ghost and vampire tours. Japan came in third for the highest number of castles. And for horror movie settings, the top five destinations are New York, California, Japan, Canada, and South Korea.
The United States leads the pack for ghost and vampire tours
From the famous witchy town of Salem to the numerous spirits that are said to haunt New Orleans, the has the highest number of ghost- and vampire-themed tours: 723, based on Audley’s data.
- USA – 723
- Canada – 31
- India – 30
- Australia – 27
- Jamaica – 24
Monty Bampfield, USA specialist at Audley, says: “Everything is bigger in the USA, and that includes the thrills and scares.
If you’re looking for a classic ghost tour, Monty recommends a supernatural trolley tour of Boston: “As one of the country’s oldest cities, Boston is the perfect setting for a ghost tour. You’ll take a trolley tour through the city’s narrow, cobblestone streets, with stops at historic graveyards to hear stories from New England’s darker chapters.”
Japan ranks third for the most castles
According to Audley’s data, the USA also ranks first for having the highest number of castles (303), followed by Armenia (293), and Audley’s favorite (264).
- USA – 303
- Armenia – 293
- Japan – 264
- Azerbaijan – 106
- Canada – 69
“The Japan archipelago has seen a lot of strife in its history,” remarks Audley Regional Product Manager David Peat. “As a result, you’ll find a lot of defensive architecture.
Top five most common settings for horror films
An analysis of the top 100 horror films of all time showed that the USA’s and have been the setting for the most, with seven and four respectively, followed by Japan and Canada, both with four, and South Korea with three.
- New York – USA – 7
- California – USA – 4
- Japan – 4
- Canada – 4
- South Korea – 3
“New York City and LA are both major cinematic centres,” says Karl. “Add in Americans’ deep love of the horror genre in general, and it only makes sense that those states are the setting for a lot of the great horror films.
Whether you’re interested in a ghost-themed vacation, from start to finish, or just want to add a shivery touch to your next trip, Audley’s experts have shared .
For more information
Nicole Barnard
tmwi, acting on behalf of Audley Travel
01789 404180
Note to editors:
Audley Travel specializes in creating custom travel itineraries, offering unique experiences in over 80 destinations across all seven continents. Their dedicated destination specialists leverage their firsthand knowledge to plan your trip down to the smallest detail, selecting experiences that align with your interests and connecting you with top local guides.