Great white sharks draw tourists to Cape Cod in Massachusetts despite fears

Its reputation as a man-eating predator aside, the great white shark is emerging as a boon for tourism on Cape Cod, the Massachusetts peninsula popular among beach combers.

Unlike the classic 1975 thriller Jaws, in which one of the predators terrorises a small island, the sharks that have been spotted in growing numbers are stirring more curiosity than fear in the US state - and a buying frenzy for shark-related merchandise.

Shark T-shirts are everywhere, Jaws has been playing in local cinemas and boats are taking more tourists out to see the huge seal population that keeps the sharks coming. Harbourmasters have issued warnings, but - unlike the sharks in the movies - the great whites are not seen generally as a threat to swimmers.

Among the entrepreneurs is Justin Labdon, owner of the Cape Cod Beach Chair Company, who started selling shark-themed T-shirts after customers who were renting paddle boards and kayaks began asking whether it was safe to go to sea.

"I mean, truthfully, we've probably grown about 500 per cent in terms of the sale of our shark apparel," he said. The T-shirts, hoodies, hats, belts, dog collars and other accessories bear the iconic, torpedo-shaped image of great whites and sell for between US$10 and US$45.

He said his store brought in thousands of dollars in merchandise sales.