Some of the most praised tourist attractions in the world leave travelers clearly disappointed, according to a new study.
The luggage storage company Radical Storage analyzed 95,352 visitor reviews at 200 of the most visited tourist spots in the world to reveal the most disappointing tourist attractions globally.
The top five spots were all occupied by European landmarks, some of which are often considered bucket list destinations.
The most disappointing tourist attraction in the world is in the UK
Inspired by the success of Disneyland in America, the Alton Towers estate was transformed into a theme park in the 1980s. With 10 themed areas spread over 910 acres, it is the largest in the UK.
However, the research found that nearly half of the reviews of the Staffordshire amusement park contained words indicating a negative experience. To put this into context, the average rate of negative reviews in the study is 10.9%.
Alton Towers had the highest percentage of reviews that specifically complained about value for money, including misleading information about tickets and expectations of paying for expensive add-ons, such as pricey food and drinks or access to different areas of the park.
Comments also suggest that it is often not the rides that disappoint customers, but the customer service.
The thermal baths in Budapest are overcrowded
The Széchenyi Baths and Pool in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, are the largest medicinal baths in Europe and have been a wellness tourism destination since 1913.
However, more than a third of people who left an online review of the baths reported a less than satisfactory experience. The baths ranked third in the category of crowds and accessibility (16.8 percent of all reviews, compared to the average of 4.4 percent).
The famous Siam Park in Spain has terrible customer service
Siam Park in Tenerife, Spain, is the largest water park in Europe, inaugurated by Princess of Thailand Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2007. However, a visit to the 
“best water park in the world” is not universally enjoyable. Critics often mention rude staff and accessibility issues.
Some reviewers mentioned feeling ashamed due to their weight and noted that the park is not suitable for the disabled. Overall, nearly a third of reviews had something negative to say about their experience.
The Time Out Market Lisbon is a victim of its own success
Planned and built by Time Out magazine in 2014, the Time Out Market Lisbon was the company’s first venture into food halls.
In 2018, the project won the prestigious Hamburg Foodservice Award – one of the most respected awards in the food service industry. But according to reviews, things may have worsened since then. More than a quarter of reviewers left disappointed or dissatisfied.
It seems that the Time Out Market Lisbon is a victim of its own success. The attraction had the highest percentage of reviews mentioning crowds or accessibility issues (18.4% compared to the average of 4.4%).
The Fontana di Trevi is always very crowded
The Fontana di Trevi is an iconic Baroque monument in Rome and has been featured in popular films such as Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and Wyler’s Roman Holiday.
Every year, tourists throw about €1 million into the fountain, and a coin tossed into the water supposedly guarantees a return to Rome in the future.
But if you make a wish at the fountain, you might want to plan your visit wisely. After the Time Out Market Lisbon, reviews had the second highest proportion of people mentioning crowds or accessibility issues. Overall, one in four people had something negative to say about their experience.
Source: Euronews