What are the different types of dark tourism?

There are a variety of types of disaster tourism that falls under the pillar of dark tourism, which include:

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Holocaust tourism.
Disaster tourism.
Grave tourism.
Cold war tourism.
Nuclear tourism.
Prison and persecution site tourism.

What are the characteristics of dark tourism?

Dark tourism refers to visiting places where some of the darkest events of human history have unfolded. That can include genocide, assassination, incarceration, ethnic cleansing, war or disaster — either natural or accidental.

What is the dark tourism spectrum?

The dark tourism spectrum is the range of touristic sites, activities and attractions that can be labelled dark. Dark tourism is often referred to as the ‘act of travel to sites associated with death, suffering and the seemingly macabre’ (Stone, 2006, p. 146).

Why do people travel for dark tourism?

Most people visit dark places wanting to pay their respects. As history shows, people have done it in the past for entertainment. There are probably many today who do it for the thrills (war zones might come to mind). While we might question others’ motivations, it’s important to understand why we do it ourselves.

What motivates a dark tourist?

According to Yull (2003), motivations of dark tourist could involve entertainment purposes, such as providing a thrill, a novel experience or adventure. Furthermore, remembering the victims and the cruelties that took place or curiosity can also be motivations of tourist that visit the house of Fritzl.

What is the purpose of dark tourism?

Dark tourism is a tourism phenomenon, which evolves around people being drawn to attractions that have a sombre historical past. These attractions are memorials of different kinds where tragedy, death and suffering have occurred.

Is dark tourism growing?

Actual bookings have increased by more than 1,200% since 2016. Official figures show visitor numbers to the exclusion zone have boomed in recent years, with almost 50,000 people making the trip in 2017, 70% of whom were foreigners. That’s an increase of 350% since 2012.