Austrian photographer Reiner Riedler's series Fake Holidays documents artificial travel destinations around the world. Here, families swim at indoor Tropical Islands just outside Berlin. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Austrian photographer Reiner Riedler's series Fake Holidays documents artificial travel destinations around the world. Here, families swim at indoor Tropical Islands just outside Berlin.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
At the Window of the World theme park in Shenzhen, China, a couple gets their photo taken in front of fake Egyptian pyramids. Photo: Reiner Riedler
At the Window of the World theme park in Shenzhen, China, a couple gets their photo taken in front of fake Egyptian pyramids.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Entertainers, dressed as Polynesian dancers, take a break at the Vichy Aqua Park in Lithuania. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Entertainers, dressed as Polynesian dancers, take a break at the Vichy Aqua Park in Lithuania.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Riedler first became interested in the topic when he saw people going to pop-up, temporary city beaches in Europe. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Riedler first became interested in the topic when he saw people going to pop-up, temporary city beaches in Europe.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
After that, he discovered a robust, global business catering to the desire for an immediate getaway—no matter the integrity of the destination. Here, men chat at one of Dubai's indoor skiing halls. Photo: Reiner Riedler
After that, he discovered a robust, global business catering to the desire for an immediate getaway—no matter the integrity of the destination. Here, men chat at one of Dubai's indoor skiing halls.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
The indoor skiing halls in Dubai—a desert climate—even have ice caves. Photo: Reiner Riedler
The indoor skiing halls in Dubai—a desert climate—even have ice caves.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
ADVERTISEMENT
Over the course of several years Riedler traveled from his native Austria to countries such as Germany, Turkey, the United States, China, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Over the course of several years Riedler traveled from his native Austria to countries such as Germany, Turkey, the United States, China, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Sun lamps stand in for the tropics at Centerpark Bispingen in Germany. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Sun lamps stand in for the tropics at Centerpark Bispingen in Germany.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
At the Titanic Resort Hotel in Turkey, guests can paddle up to a replica of the famous, doomed vessel. Photo: Reiner Riedler
At the Titanic Resort Hotel in Turkey, guests can paddle up to a replica of the famous, doomed vessel.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
The Movie Park in Bottrop, Germany, has six different areas with replicas of film sets. Photo: Reiner Riedler
The Movie Park in Bottrop, Germany, has six different areas with replicas of film sets.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
A guest, clad as Superman, dives over a pool at the World of Wonder's Kremlin Palace in Turkey. Photo: Reiner Riedler
A guest, clad as Superman, dives over a pool at the World of Wonder's Kremlin Palace in Turkey.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Diners at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Diners at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
ADVERTISEMENT
The Star Trek Experience was a former attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton (it closed in 2008). Photo: Reiner Riedler
The Star Trek Experience was a former attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton (it closed in 2008).
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Fake animals and a fake mudslide at the Window of the World theme park in Shenzhen, China. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Fake animals and a fake mudslide at the Window of the World theme park in Shenzhen, China.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
A cosplayer at a convention at the Yomiuri Land amusement park in Tokyo. Photo: Reiner Riedler
A cosplayer at a convention at the Yomiuri Land amusement park in Tokyo.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Guests can gaze upon staged crucifixions at The Holy Land Experience, a Christian theme park, in Orlando, Florida. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Guests can gaze upon staged crucifixions at The Holy Land Experience, a Christian theme park, in Orlando, Florida.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Also in Shenzhen is Minsk World, a theme park built around a Russian aircraft carrier from the 1970s that was bought by China in the 1990s. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Also in Shenzhen is Minsk World, a theme park built around a Russian aircraft carrier from the 1970s that was bought by China in the 1990s.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Tourists get their photo taken on one of the Minsk World battleships. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Tourists get their photo taken on one of the Minsk World battleships.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
ADVERTISEMENT
The United States Capitol building and Mount Rushmore, seen at Window of the World in Shenzhen. Photo: Reiner Riedler
The United States Capitol building and Mount Rushmore, seen at Window of the World in Shenzhen.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Phantasialand, Germany's answer to Disney World, is a family-friendly resort with fantastical rides and parks. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Phantasialand, Germany's answer to Disney World, is a family-friendly resort with fantastical rides and parks.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
A historical Viking reenactment is staged at another cosplay festival, in Austria. Photo: Reiner Riedler
A historical Viking reenactment is staged at another cosplay festival, in Austria.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
Spectators marvel at a buffalo parade in a faux old timey western town, in Germany. Photo: Reiner Riedler
Spectators marvel at a buffalo parade in a faux old timey western town, in Germany.
Photo: Reiner Riedler
SIMILAR GALLERIES
9 of the World's Most Outrageously Expensive Headphones
Incredible Historical Photos From One of the World's Best Museums
400 Years of Beautiful, Historical, and Powerful Globes
Use Science and Tech to Build the Ultimate Automated Garden
See How Cadbury Hatches 350 Million Goo-Filled Eggs a Year
Could a Hotel Bring Back Los Angeles' Theater Row?
ADVERTISEMENT
There are countless ways to travel: on a budget or in first class; on a cruise ship or at a hostel; with tour guides or nothing but a backpack and fresh pair of socks. No matter the voyage, the point is always roughly the same: to leave regular life behind, if only for a moment.
Reiner Riedler's photography captures a slice of the travel industry that capitalizes on that very sentiment. Call it manufactured travel. His Fake Holidays series documents vacation spots from around the world, and they're all a mirage. There are crystalline tropical beaches, built inside a resort in Germany. Guests get their picture taken in front of replicas of Mount Rushmore in China, and dine next to Mayan ruins in Florida. In Dubai, there's an indoor ski resort—with snow.
"I was fascinated first by temporary city beaches," Riedler says. "They are now common all over Europe, but at the beginning of my work, this was new. After work people went to these artificial beaches and enjoyed the feeling of being on holidays. I wondered why people were so easily manipulated, as if sand, drinks, music, and a tub of water are the ingredients for happiness."
Reiner Riedler
The photographer decided to look into the trend. After researching the subject, he learned that there's a robust, global business catering to professional types seeking an immediate getaway—no matter the integrity of the destination. Over the course of several years, Riedler traveled from his native Austria to countries such as Germany, Turkey, the United States, China, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. During the course of his travels, he paid attention to the emotional forces driving what he calls a boom in fake holidays: "There is no danger. There are no crocodiles and no malaria," Riedler says. "You can go for a safe adventure trip just for a day." The downside? "This is exciting for a day or two, but at the end people will find that there are no stories to tell when they are back home."
Of course, traveling to an imaginary locale isn't new. Disney World and Disney Land long ago turned their fictive, on-screen worlds into sprawling complexes filled with fake castles, waterfalls, and pirates. The key difference, as Riedler points out, is that tourists at the resorts in Fake Holiday are replacing nature with indoor sun lamps or ski slopes—and that raises some questions about environmental responsibility. "Tourism means consumption—consumption of culture, nature. And these worlds were created often under massive technological exertion," he says. "I am not sure what is better: going to the Alps, knowing that the skiing industry destroys nature in the mountains, or going to a skiing hall built in Dubai, in the desert."
Correction 10:00 am EST 06/16/2014: An earlier version of the story included an image caption that incorrectly labeled the United States Capitol building as the White House.
Reiner Riedler
Comments
Post a Comment