DARK TOURISM: HISTORY, CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND VISITOR MOTIVATIONS
Abstract
Dark tourism is a form of tourism that involves visiting sites associated with death, war, disaster and other tragic events (former concentration camps, war memorials, disaster sites, memorial museums etc). The motivation for visiting these sites is varied: some are there to learn about history, some to remember the victims and many are simply there to understand the past. The article looks at the history and development of dark tourism, the reasons why people visit such sites, its educational value and the problems it can cause. It concludes that dark tourism can be a valuable tool in terms of education, cultural understanding and heritage preservation but such sites must be managed with great care and sensitivity to the victims and their families. The provision of accurate historical context, the promotion of responsible visitor behaviour and the need for ethical tourism management are all key points.
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References
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