A few months ago, I created a survey in order to ask the question, “What do you look for in a New York City ghost tour?” Several of you took the time to answer the survey, and the results are in!
Here’s what you’re looking for in a ghost tour of NYC:
Education and entertainment. Over 60% of people who answered the survey agreed that accurate historical facts and data were extremely important, even on a ghost tour. Nobody seemed to care about the guide’s costume or props, but everyone agreed that the guide’s sense of humor and delivery of the material were of paramount importance — every single person who took the survey rated an “intelligent guide who is well spoken” as a 4 on a scale of 1-4, with 1 being the lowest and 4 being the highest in order of importance.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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To learn about New York City history with correct facts and data
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0%
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0%
|
40%
|
60%
|
3.60
|
|
|
An emphasis on ghost stories; a few factual errors in the history don’t bother me
|
40%
|
40%
|
20%
|
0%
|
1.80
|
|
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To hear TRUE ghost stories that actually happened
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0%
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20%
|
60%
|
20%
|
3.00
|
|
|
To hear frightening and entertaining ghost stories, true or not
|
20%
|
60%
|
0%
|
20%
|
2.20
|
|
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To have a paranormal experience, e.g. sensing or seeing an apparition, orb, cold spot, or voice
|
60%
|
40%
|
0%
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0%
|
1.40
|
|
|
To have a guide with a sense of humor
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0%
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0%
|
60%
|
40%
|
3.40
|
|
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To feel frightened or thrilled
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20%
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20%
|
60%
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0%
|
2.40
|
|
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To have fun and be entertained
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0%
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0%
|
20%
|
80%
|
3.80
|
|
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A guide in a costume, who “looks the part”
|
100%
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0%
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0%
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0%
|
1.00
|
|
|
An intelligent guide who is well spoken
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0%
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0%
|
0%
|
100%
|
4.00
|
|
|
To receive a list of further reading and resources at the end of the tour
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0%
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0%
|
80%
|
20%
|
3.20
|
|
Another really interesting result was that respondents seemed to want tours in every borough!
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The Bronx
|
20%
|
|
Upper Manhattan/Washington Hts./Hamilton Hts.
|
20%
|
|
Upper West Side
|
20%
|
|
Upper East Side
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0%
|
|
Roosevelt Island
|
40%
|
|
Queens
|
20%
|
|
Theatre District/Broadway/Times Square
|
40%
|
|
Chinatown
|
0%
|
|
Lower East Side
|
20%
|
|
Brooklyn Heights
|
20%
|
|
Staten Island
|
20%
|
|
South Street Seaport
|
20%
|
The only place people don’t seem to think is haunted is the Upper East Side! So it looks like Theater District and Roosevelt Island tours might be in my future…
Thanks to everyone who responded! If you didn’t get a chance to respond, and would like to, you can take the survey here.
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