Dystopia, death, and the growing popularity of dark tourism. Dark tourism is defined as visitation to places such as murder sites, battlefields. Philip stone is the executive director of the institute for dark tourism research. Stone 2006 identifies a spectrum of such sites, from dark to light depending on. John lennon and malcolm foley, in 1996, dark tourism is a relatively new field of study that examines tourism involving places associated with death and violence. He teaches tourism, hospitality and event management at undergraduate and postgraduate level. While disturbing death may haunt contemporary imaginations, the act of remembrance and memorialisation allows darker dark tourism to occur stone, 2006. They claim its actually part of the concept of modernity itself. The idtr promotes ethical research into the social scientific understanding of tourist sites of death, disaster or the seemingly macabre. But the demand for dark tourism spots is versatile. Lancashire business school, department of tourism and leisure management, university of central lancashire, preston, uk. Aug 02, 20 the purpose of this paper is to develop a typology of dark tourists through an investigation of peoples motivations to visit burial grounds.
Jul 15, 2014 the dark tourism institute was founded in 2012 to chronicle voyeurism at all sorts of macabre locations. By the results of the research is has been uncovered that turkey has a very rich. Thus it is suggested that the dimensions of dark tourism consumption have not been extracted or interrogated only assumed. Death, dying and dark tourism in contemporary society. Buy dark tourism new edition by lennon, john, foley, malcolm isbn.
Dark tourism, understood as the type of tourism that involves a visit to real or recreated places associated with death, suffering, misfortune, or the seemingly macabre, is not a new concept, even from a touristic point of view. Towards a typology of death and macabre related tourist sites, attractions and exhibitions pr stone turizam. The institute for dark tourism research idtr, based at the university of central lancashire, england, is a worldleading academic centre for dark tourism scholarship, research and teaching. Some of the more notorious dark tourism sites worldwide include the auschwitz concentration camp, or the chernobyl exclusion zone. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.
A dark tourism spectrum clok central lancashire online. Philip stone, executive director of the institute for. Stone is a former management consultant within the tourism and hospitality sector, and is presently a senior lecturer at the university of central lancashire, uk. The research expands upon stones 2006 dark tourism spectrum. Thus, our definition of dark tourism is informed by stone 2006. This research extends stones dark tourism spectrum and seven dark. The theory and practice of dark tourism 41 aspects of tourism 41 sharpley, richard, stone, philip r. Towards a typology of death and macabre related tourist sites, attractions and exhibitions deaths, disasters and atrocities in touristic form are becoming an increasingly pervasive feature within the contemporary tourism landscape, and as such, are ever more providing.
Dark tourism this book sets out to explore dark tourism. Other notable definitions of dark tourism include the act of travel to sites associated with death, suffering and the seemingly macabre stone, 2006, and as visitations to places where tragedies. In so doing, it proposes a model of dark tourism consumption within a. Visits to cemeteries, churchyards and funerary sites as sacred and secular pilgrimage. And sequels would really be called for, given how very selective the book is in the destinations covered. The dark tourism institute was founded in 2012 to chronicle voyeurism at all sorts of macabre locations. The possible introduction of a dark tourism sig is also based on personal interest in this phenomenon. The study included analysis of the definition of dark tourism, tourist motivations for this type of tourism, stone s typology of dark destination offers, and a portion is devoted to the. The palgrave handbook of dark tourism studies philip r. Towards a model of mortality meditation, annals of tourism research, vol. The content analysis used stones 2006 dark tourism continuum to evaluate the dark tourism products offered in each destination and to present a descriptive overview of europes citybased dark tourism offer. However, in a somewhat narrower reading of dark tourism i generally follow lennonfoleys book dark tourism in taking the concept of dark tourism to be a modern phenomenon. This study examines content of dark tourism websites in the us.
Many people wish to experience the reality behind the media images, or are prompted to find out more by a personal association with. Lennon and foley have spent many years researching what they call dark tourism across the globe. The appeal of dark tourism however has led at least one researcher to begin capitalizing on it. Institute for dark tourism research research university. However, dark tourism literature is both eclectic and theoretically fragile. Beside the matter of death, interest in culture, history or simply the desire for entertainment are possible reasons why millions of people are visiting places of dark tourism stone, 2006.
As dark tourism may be typified by conceptual shades, then so too can different kinds of memory. The term dark tourism describes travel to places which are associated with tragedy, suffering or death. Towards a typology of death and macabre related tourist sites, attractions and exhibitions, tourism. Developing dark tourism by will blommer dark tourism. Dark tourism as a type of special interest tourism.
Most people have never heard the term dark tourism, but they likely have been to a dark tourist site. Pdf development of dark tourism in the contemporary. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Stone and his team have just launched a fiveyear project to examine the effects that war. Dark tourism and place identity in french guiana dark. Nevertheless, perspectives on and understanding of dark tourism remain varied and theoretically fragile whilst, to date, no single book has attempted to draw together the conceptual themes and debates surrounding dark tourism, to explore it within wider disciplinary contexts and to. The study included analysis of the definition of dark tourism, tourist motivations for this type of tourism, stone s typology of dark destination offers, and a portion is devoted to the role of dark tourism in contemporary society. Pdf dark tourism as a type of special interest tourism. Despite increasing academic attention paid to dark tourism, understanding of the concept remains limited, particularly from a consumption perspective. Stone a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of doctor of philosophy at the university of central lancashire october 2010. Oct 30, 2015 the appeal of dark tourism however has led at least one researcher to begin capitalizing on it. The paper focuses on the development of dark tourism as a type of special interest tourism. This is especially the case with regards to consumption and its implications for understanding the dark tourist.
Stone is executive director, institute for dark tourism research, university of central lancashire, uk. Rudi hartmann is associate professor, university of colorado denver, usa. At inholland university i have researched a variety of dark tourism related topics and some of these have been published in both academic journals and or as book chapters. This provocative book seeks to explain this phenomena by focusing in particular on concentration camps in poland and germany, and sites in the u. Developing dark tourism by will blommer developing dark tourism. The purpose of this paper is to develop a typology of dark tourists through an investigation of peoples motivations to visit burial grounds. Dec 07, 2000 this book sets out to explore dark tourism. Meanwhile, visiting sites of death and disaster has developed into a worldwide phenomenon. War museums, prisons, battlefields, and memorials are just a handful of tourism categories that fall within the morbid realm of dark tourism. The purpose is to position the dark tourism sites on stone s spectrum and identify the type of authenticity promoted by different. Founded in 2012 and based at the university of central lancashire uclan, england, the idtr largely contributes to scientific research on dark tourism while offering guidance to industry practitioners and collaborating with the media.
He is also founder and editor of the dark tourism forum. Philip stone, dr, university of central lancashire. Dark tourism also black tourism, morbid tourism or grief tourism has been defined as tourism involving travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy. Pdf despite increasing academic attention paid to dark tourism, understanding. This research extends stone s dark tourism spectrum and seven dark suppliers framework by identifying nine types of dark tourists. A thanatological perspective philip stone richard sharpley university of central lancashire, uk abstract.
Stone and his team have just launched a fiveyear project to. Towards a typology of death and macabre related tourist sites, attractions and exhibitions. In so doing, it has suggested that consuming dark tourism can help individuals, within a social structure, to address issues of personal meaningfulnessa key to reality, thus to life and sustaining social order, and ultimately to the maintenance and continuity of ontological security and overall wellbeing. More recently, it was suggested that the concept should also include reasons tourists visit that site, since the sites attributes alone may not make a visitor a dark tourist. Over the last decade, the concept of dark tourism has attracted growing academic interest and media attention. I do hope he will produce a sequel or even several he could become dark tourisms bill bryson.