This article explores recent trends and examples of global travel that is recognisable as dark tourism, the attraction of death and disaster. Craig Wight specialises in genocide themed tourism attractions and experiences, and contributed some thoughts on the origins of dark tourism, as well as recent trends and examples.
Date posted
28 October 2022
The article explores the use of vacation time in the USA for purposes other than pleasant diversion to pleasant places. Trips to unconventional attractions such as abandoned nuclear plants, and sites of atrocity and genocide are increasing in popularity. This article delves into our fascination with spaces that are recognisable as examples of dark tourism. Craig Wight sets out the origins of this form of leisure, drawing attention to visitors who travelled to the Battle of Waterloo as an early examples of war-chasing, and to packaged experiences to Ukraine as a more recent example. He also explains that modern dark tourism is about making a connection to the places where atrocities occurred.