In the past decade or so as the popularity of ghost & paranormal shows rose so did the popularity of "ghost tourism." And ghost tours were & are a part of that. Now, these tours have been around in our country for years. The ones in larger cities (like New York & Chicago) and in popular travel destinations with long histories of "hauntings" (such as New Orleans & Savannah) have been well known & attended for quite some time. However, during that same time, smaller cities & towns, villages & hamlets, have also had their fair share of haunted history & the tours that told their stories.
And whether in larger or smaller places, many of the available ghost tours where locally owned and operated, "mom & pop" type businesses, by people who had a passion for telling the history & hauntings in the places they lived, often grew up in, & experienced. And this passion led them to do extensive research: reading countless books & articles, combing through files & records, talking to & interviewing friends, relatives, neighbors. And because of that, these local tours also had local flair, variety, & authenticity. And many if not most of these local tours thrived through local advertising & word of mouth.
However, in recent years, as with many other businesses in our country, some individuals saw an economic opportunity here. And now we are faced with the ever growing "ghost tour chains": Huge national entities that look to take over and corner the market, oftentimes using groundwork that was already lain by others before them. As these wealthy companies use their money and resources, mainly through massive online advertising campaigns & influence, to expand and extend their grips into even the small cities and towns of the country, those local tours guides & companies are struggling to compete, to keep up economically. This is not a quality thing, as most of these local tours receive high ratings & praise, past & present. No, the struggle is economic. And some, who had been around for years, have or are bowing out.
One goal and purpose of this website is to assist those who would rather "buy local" in easily finding locally owned & operated ghost tours in cities across the U.S.! Another goal and purpose of this website is to help these local owners compete or at least survive in this increasingly difficult climate.
We just ask that you always try to "Keep It Spooky. Keep It Real. Keep It Local."
The less individual, independent, & locally owned tours, the less local flavor, variety, and authenticity.
We live here. We have researched. We have interviewed. We have experienced it.
And we want to share that with YOU!
Thank You!
This website is owned & operated by a local tour owner & guide, Tim Romig.
For questions & inquiries, contact us at: locallyownedghosttours@gmail.com