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Founded by indigenous fishermen in 1626, Salem is famous for its witch hunts and persecutions of those accused of witchcraft. The most notorious was the 1692 witchcraft case, which resulted in the imprisonment of over 200 people, the execution of 21 innocent men and women, and the deaths of several others during the tragic events. Today, Salem has become a popular tourist destination, especially during Halloween season.
"We can't leave the house to go shopping or to the doctor. There are too many people on the streets; getting out of the house is a battle, and coming back home is a nightmare," a Salem resident told the Boston Daily.
In just the third week of October, the small city of Salem, with a population of only 43,350, welcomed approximately 101,000 tourists per day. This led to a significant surge in the city's service and tourism industries. However, most businesses there felt exhausted from operating continuously without any time to rest.
Salem City is overloaded.
Kieran O'Neill, 55, of Salem, co-owner and operator of Olde Main Street Pub, agrees that the increased number of tourists has many positive aspects. In particular, small businesses have the opportunity to regain revenue and generate more profit, making up for the stagnation they experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"From a business perspective, this is a tremendous growth opportunity. However, we need to adjust our resources accordingly to avoid being overwhelmed," said Kieran O'Neill.
“As a business owner, I’m very excited. As tourism grows, local people might feel overwhelmed by having to accommodate so many tourists,” said Crowley, founder of Witch City Walking Tours, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to expand his company to 24 employees. The tour company offers walking tours, which Crowley developed himself starting in 2014.
Business in Salem thrived thanks to the influx of tourists.
Kate Fox, 52, executive director at Destination Salem, the city's tourism and culture office, points out that the influx of tourists benefits some businesses, such as restaurants and service shops, but businesses in other sectors are still struggling.
“I get feedback from businesses every year that they’re struggling because locals can’t access their services. I hear that beauty salons are losing clients because they can’t see her in October,” Fox said. “There was a jewelry store downtown and his clients weren’t coming to shop in October.”
Businesses that profit greatly from tourism are beginning to face difficulties. Kieran O'Neill complains that staff shortages are a constant headache. Fox and her company have previously organized campaigns to encourage suburban residents to shop in the city. Destination Salem is supposed to guide visitors during off-peak tourist times. But this October, almost every day in Salem was a festival.
Terrible traffic
In October, the overwhelming influx of tourists meant Salem had no parking spaces left. Mayor Kimberley Driscoll stated in a weekend announcement that those planning to visit Salem that day should park on the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport railway line and travel to Salem by train, as all parking lots and garages were full.
Matthew Phillion, a resident of Salem for 20 years, believes that tourists often ignore such messages. He says that over the years the city has repeatedly issued similar advice, but people ignore it.
Salem is crowded from October onwards, and the city advises against driving.
Crowley said her company sent similar messages via text and email to everyone who had signed up for the tour. They advised arriving three hours before the tour started and using public transport or parking at designated shuttle stops instead of driving into the city, but not everyone listened.
"Salem is just a small city. We have a highway system, but it's very far away. Residents in Halem can't go out to buy groceries or get out in case of an emergency. Every road, every sidewalk is congested," O'Neill said.
Local problems
The sheer number of tourists flocking to Salem has left locals trapped in their own homes. Many residents complain that they were unable to access the city center throughout October. Alexis Lambert, a longtime Salem resident, said he couldn't even walk his dog and tried to avoid leaving the house on weekends, especially when driving.
The influx of tourists is making it difficult for Salem residents to find work.
"Salem isn't Disney World. It's just a small city with a long history and can't handle that many tourists," says Kyle Dolan, who has lived in Salem since childhood. Tourists see Salem as a large-scale theme park. However, unlike Disney World, the city still has many local people living and working there.
The "Witch City" began to transform into a tourist destination in the 1970s and 1980s. The city's macabre history is linked to famous witch hunts, making Salem one of the world's biggest Halloween destinations.
