The Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest

The Search Continues

For every one Sasquatch believer, you can find a dozen non-believers who roll their eyes at the idea but even then -  half of the non-believers, watch the occasional show on TV about the subject.  There is some intrinsic value in the search for Sasquatch, and the Pacific Northwest is a hotspot for sightings.  Which also means that it’s a hotspot for those itching to catch a glimpse of one.  But besides being a silly old story that we pass down from generation to generation, what does Sasquatch really bring to the table?  How do we benefit from it?

So what does belief in Sasquatch mean stories of Sasquatch have been around long before any of us have been alive and they’ll be there well after we’re all gone. However, since we’ve never proved the existence of Sasquatch, what value does a maybe-existent creature have?

It seems like there wouldn’t be much, correct?    Wrong.

There’s an immense value to stories of cryptids such as Sasquatch. Potential Sasquatch discoveries help to spark a sense of wonder, excitement and exploration. Provides a sense of hope and adventure.   It helps instill the idea that even after everything we’ve done on this planet (or to it) there are still things that remain untouched. Places that remain wild in a sense. And it’s not just us.

North America isn’t the only place with a Sasquatch-esque creature to keep our curious minds enthralled with legends. Brazil has the Mapinguari, a Sasquatch-esque creature from the Amazon Rainforest. Australia has the Yowie, an outback-dwelling bipedal cryptid. And the Serjarang, the Malasyian version.

The Business of Sasquatch

It’s not just wonder and adventure that Sasquatch gives to the Pacific Northwest (and other Sasquatch search jurisdictions). Ghost tourism is alive and well, and many places around the continent benefit from it.

What is ghost tourism you ask? It encompasses everything from UFO attractions like visits to Roswell, exploring the mysteries of Mothman in Point Pleasant, West Virginia or even visiting sites of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts.  And ghost tourism includes searching for Sasquatch, and everyone who benefits from that.

The Pacific Northwest is huge for Sasquatch sightings, which means that it’s also ripe for businesses that serve the Sasquatch-seeking crowd. And those businesses are making real cryptid-related cash.  For those itching to search for Sasquatch, The Bigfoot Adventure out of Bellingham, Washington—a place that branded itself as a “Sasquatch Protection and Refugee Area”—offers daytime, nocturnal and multi-day excursions. Which means you won’t have to search alone!

But beyond hiring some help to find Sasquatch, you can also visit a collection of other businesses that cater to the crowd. You can visit the North American Bigfoot Center in Boring, Oregon, a museum curated by Cliff Barackman all about these cryptids. Or head to The Bigfoot Trap in Ashland. Or the Sasquatch Museum And Visitor Centre Operations in Harris, British Columbia.

Beyond educational centers and museums, there are other businesses bearing the name. Everything from car rentals and burger joints to trinket shops that sell t-shirts, stickers, hats and sweaters (did I mention here at the Syndicate we have some awesome bottle openers).  At the end of the day, Sasquatch-related tourism is big money, especially in places known for cryptid sightings like the Pacific Northwest. While there’s yet to be any official studies about how much money there is in the cryptid game, you can bet it’s no small chunk.

What do you think about Sasquatch’s contribution to the economy of the Pacific Northwest?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

BELIEVE

By Tae Haahr
Research Writer, Sasquatch Syndicate Inc.