Twilight Tourism: Blessing Or Curse For Forks, Washington Residents?
The town of Forks, Washington, isn't known for much other than its beauty and proximity to the region's attraction, Hoh Rain Forest. The people of Forks liked it that way, but one day a terrible creature approached and took over the town. It was vampires, yeah, vampires everywhere because of a little movie called Twilight. I would love to go on a rant about that movie and book series, but I will not do that. Instead, I redirect to the obsessions these Twilight fanatics have for this little town nestled in a quiet county at the base of a mountain.
Obsessive Fans
The obsessive fans have been flocking to the area since the movie came out. On the one hand, the tourism boom has brought economic benefits. According to Lissy Andros, the Chamber of Commerce’s executive director and a former "Twilight" superfan, the books have been a significant blessing for the town. The number of tourists has skyrocketed from 5,000 in 2005, the year the first book was released, to 66,000 last year.
Frustrated
On the other hand, many locals are frustrated with the changes brought by this vampire-themed tourism. Residents like Leslie Graham and Dora Maxfield express concerns about the disruption to their everyday lives. Graham notes the odd behavior of some tourists, such as buying flashlights to hunt for vampires in the woods. Maxfield, who works at the local school featured in the series, finds it unsettling when fans loiter around the school grounds, even attempting to enter.
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Gallery Credit: Aine Givens
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