Rat sighting is now a tour guide business in New York, know more about it

New York City is popular for its bustling streets, iconic landmarks, and vibrant culture. However, it has also earned a less glamorous reputation - as the city of rats. Think of New York City in the summer, and you may well think of two things: hot trash and rats.

In 2022, this reputation reached new heights as rat sightings doubled, leading to the appointment of New York's first-ever "rat czar," Kathleen Corradi. She has been named the city’s director of rodent mitigation.

While the city had been grappling with this rodent epidemic, an unexpected and somewhat bizarre trend began to emerge - rat-based tourism. New York City tour guides, have always been on the lookout for unique experiences to offer visitors, and with this they saw an opportunity to capitalize on the rat situation. They started including stops at famously rat-infested locations in their tours, turning the city's rodent infestation into an unlikely tourist attraction.

The rise of social media platforms like TikTok also played a significant role in the rat tourism boom. TikTokkers like Kenny Bollwerk began live-streaming rat encounters around the city, quickly amassing a substantial following of rat enthusiasts.

While efforts to reduce the rat population have resulted in a 15 per cent drop in sightings since Kathleen Corradi's appointment as rat czar, the unintended consequence has been the emergence of rat-based tourism.

For now, the future of rat tourism in New York remains uncertain. While some view it as an eccentric and unconventional way to explore the city, others hope that the rat problem will eventually be resolved, allowing New York to be known for more positive attractions.

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