Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Proclaimed as

the Most Popular Aquarium in US

TripAdvisor.com’s Listing Ranks Gatlinburg Attraction as #1

GATLINBURG, Tenn. In its first listing of the nation’s aquariums, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is being recognized as the most popular aquarium in the U.S. by TripAdvisor,com’s travelers and editors.

“This is great validation for us! In 2001, the year we opened, we were the most attended aquarium in the U.S. with more than two million visitors and we have remained very popular year after year,” said Steve File, General Manager of Ripley’s’ Aquarium of the Smokies, noting that since opening, more than 10 million visitors have enjoyed his attraction. “We’re located in the small southern tourist town but now we’re top of mind across America, thanks to this listing!”

Top 10 U.S. Aquariums

1. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, Gatlinburg, TN

2. Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, TN

3. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California

4. Ripley’s Aquarium, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

5. Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, Oregon

6. Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas, Texas

7. National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, Dubuque, Iowa

8. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois

9. Downtown Aquarium, Denver, Colorado

10. Florida Aquarium, Tampa, Florida

TripAdvisor’s Popularity Index is the first index of its kind to dynamically rank hotels and attractions worldwide based on the customer satisfaction rating of the given hotel or attraction. TripAdvisor has a proprietary algorithm for determining popularity that takes into account quantity and quality of TripAdvisor reviews, guidebook ratings and comments from all over the Web. In addition to being shaped by TripAdvisor’s Popularity Index, the top 10 aquariums list was also influenced by TripAdvisor editors.

“Ripley’s offers great family-friendly underwater attractions that are extremely popular among TripAdvisor.com travelers,” said Michele Perry, vice-president of global communications for TripAdvisor.

About Ripley’s Aquarium

Ripley’s Aquariums (www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com) are part of the Ripley Entertainment family of worldwide entertainment facilities. Ripley Entertainment Inc. is a division of the Jim Pattison Group, the third largest privately held company in Canada.