Dark Tourism: The History And Growing Trend Among Travellers To Explore Eerie Sites Worldwide

Tourism has been on the rise in many countries, with various types emerging in recent times, such as sleep tourism, cultural tourism, and medical tourism, to name a few. But have you ever heard of dark tourism?

Dark tourism

The term dark tourism signifies travel to a place where it is historically associated with death, sadness, pain and tragedy. Dark tourism is also sometimes often referred to as black tourism or grief tourism. The term was first coined by two Glasgow Caledonian University faculty members J. John Lennon and Malcolm Foley in the year 1996.

In a 2017 publication released by Lennon, he explains, “For many years, humans have been attracted to sites and events that are associated with death, disaster, suffering, violence and killing. From ancient Rome and Gladiatorial combat to attendance at public executions in London and other major cities of the world death has held an appeal.”

According to Lenon, “Tourism and death enjoy a curious relationship. Death and acts of mass killing are a major deterrent for the development of certain destinations and yet such acts can become the primary purpose of visitation in others.”

The most recent definition of dark tourism by author Kevin Fox Gotham states that “dark tourism is the circulation of people to places characterized by distress, atrocity, or sadness and pain.”

Why is dark tourism trending?

For many, the idea of dark tourism can be enticing as they can make an emotional connection with the place of tragedy. People visit places associated with death and tragedy to immerse themselves and experience first-hand the history and culture of such locations. Just as how everyone has a taste for different genres of movies, when it comes to travel rules apply the same. Travellers pay visits to tragic locations to give respect who suffered in the tragedy and also connect with reality.

Eerie tourist destinations

Hiroshima, Japan: The site of Hiroshima in Japan is one example of dark tourism. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb used in warfare killing over lakhs of innocent people.

Pripyat, Ukraine: The city of Pripyat in Ukraine near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, is now an abundant city after it suffered a catastrophic nuclear disaster in 1986. The place is frozen in time, as per the source.