Places that have experienced such tragedies, like the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Hiroshima, or the Killing Fields in Cambodia, attract thousands of tourists each year.
Tours to these sites are referred to as dark tourism. This trend raises concerns among many researchers and traditional tourists. They question why so many individuals choose not to enjoy a beach holiday but instead are drawn to places associated with painful histories.
Dr. Philip Stone, founder of the Institute of Dark Tourism Research (iDTR) at the University of Central Lancashire in England, states that dark tourism primarily revolves around the act of commemorating the deceased through museums, exhibitions, memorials, and historical sites. Notable examples of this type include the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia—infamous for its role as a prison during the Khmer Rouge; Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where atomic bombs were dropped in 1945; Aokigahara, the "suicide forest"; and Hashima Island, an abandoned town following the collapse of Japan's coal industry.
Each traveler has individual reasons for participating in this form of tourism. Some wish to confront the pain of the past, while others are curious and want to gain a deeper understanding of history. Witnessing artifacts of victims at the Auschwitz concentration camp or reading the names of the deceased at the 9/11 Memorial can enhance their awareness of historical losses.
However, dark tourism not only evokes memories of tragedies but also raises questions about how society remembers the past and commemorates painful events. Not everyone agrees with this trend, fearing that tragic sites may become commercialized. Some countries also limit the promotion of images associated with painful memories.
Despite its growing popularity, dark tourism continues to be misunderstood in various ways. One misconception is that tourists are drawn to death and suffering. Dr. Duncan Light, a tourism management expert at Bournemouth University, indicates that studies show most tourists visiting historical sites do so not out of morbid curiosity, but to learn, remember painful events, or pay respects to the victims. Many also seek connections with deceased loved ones or explore their national identity.
"There is nothing truly dark about any of these motives," Dr. Light asserts.
Dark tourism is often confused with other forms of tourism, such as slum tourism—visiting impoverished areas, war tourism—travelling to conflict zones, or danger tourism—participating in risky activities like cave exploration.
According to Dark-Tourism, an online guide to dark tourism, there are many misconceptions about this phenomenon. At its core, dark tourism is a "conscious and respectful approach to history," helping individuals better understand the darker aspects of the past without glamorizing or sensationalizing events.
One contentious issue is the boundary between remembrance and commercialization. Dr. Stone notes that although visitors do not directly confront death, they do engage with stories of loss. This can lead them to reflect on their own mortality.
Visitors at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia. Photo: Britannica
However, tourists do not always display the respect expected at historical sites. Controversial instances have occurred, such as visitors taking selfies or posing inappropriately at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Such forms of tourism do not encourage disrespectful behavior. Museums, memorials, and historical sites aim to be places of remembrance, enabling people to face the past and draw lessons for the future.
According to Dr. Stone, dark tourism is a complex form of travel that possesses historical and educational value while grappling with ethical debates and management issues. Despite the many misunderstandings and differing opinions, this trend continues to attract tourists worldwide, as people seek ways to connect with the past and ponder the meaning of life.
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