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Dark tourism (also called thanatourism, black tourism, morbid tourism or grief tourism) is defined as tourism that involves travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy. It is seen as a niche curiosity, but has now become a disturbing trend. Amid ongoing rescue efforts following the devastating landslide in Wayanad, Kerala, the Kerala Police has urged tourists against ‘dark tourism’ and to avoid visiting the area as it may hamper rescue operations.
War-torn places or monuments that symbolize a dark period in history attract a large number of people. Although dark tourism is not mainstream, travelling for the thrill (or even the fear) of visiting such places is quite common. Visiting places associated with important historical events is becoming popular as travellers want to connect with and understand the past. Rajiv Kale, President and Country Head, Holidays, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, says, “This trend reflects a deep curiosity and desire to know the rich and complex stories of human history. In India, sites such as the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands, Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar and the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata offer a deep insight into the country’s heritage.”
The Cellular Jail with its remarkable history of resilience and Jallianwala Bagh known for its historical significance provide a meaningful connection to the journey and resilience of India. The Victoria Memorial highlights the historical era of India with its architectural beauty.
But why are tourists attracted to such places? Shimoni Kothari, travel advisor and founder of Paper Planes Travel Company, says, “Tragedies like war affect the culture of a country and when visiting a new country, most tourists would want to visit such places to know the history of that country. Also, dark tourism affects the human psyche. Though we can also empathise with the people who faced the tragedy, there is a certain thrill or excitement in personalising the tragedy or interesting place without actually getting involved.”
Internationally, the Colosseum in Rome, an architectural marvel, also draws crowds due to its grim history of hosting many bloody gladiator battles that were brutal, savage battles. The concentration camps from World War II (Auschwitz and others) are still frequently visited and people are fascinated and repulsed (sometimes in equal parts) about the horrors of that war.
Kothari believes that the most important reason for people to visit these places is also from an educational point of view, and to pay homage to the symbols of the tragedy.
The dark side of dark tourism
Any tragedy that has devastated the lives of people who are still not overcoming its consequences deserves some time and respect. Kothari says, “It would be extremely inappropriate to try to make light of their tragedy and add their pain to your list of priorities, by having tourists take pictures without caring about the victims and their needs at that time. It is extremely rude to use people’s tragedies as entertainment. The recent landslide in Kerala is an example of this, where the police had to ask tourists to stay away from the area as people are still trying to rebuild their lives.”
It is a good idea to stay away from places where there have been recent natural disasters or chemical spills, etc. We should proceed respectfully, with an educative approach, and generate ideas about why peace is so important or how we can protect disaster-prone areas.
The role of social media in dark tourism
Social media is a means for people to showcase their visits to these sites, on one hand creating curiosity about the place or event and on the other, giving them an opportunity to express their sympathy or happiness at being personally exposed to important events in history. “The media as a whole creates interest in places that may have been overlooked in the past,” says Kothari. TV shows Chernobyl “This is a good example because it was largely ignored until this series came out and now there are guided tours to visit the place. Somehow, social media normalises the human fascination with tragedy, leading to dark tourism.”
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