The phenomenon of dark tourism is a growing trend where people travel to destinations associated with tragedy and disaster. One of the most famous examples is Chornobyl, which gained increased attention due to the HBO series' success. However, numerous other places attract visitors for similar reasons.
Dark tourism includes war zones, disaster sites, cemeteries, and haunted locations, with younger generations being the main participants.
The Netflix docuseries "The Other Tourism" revealed the latest trends in travel. At the same time, the study "The Rise of Dark Tourism" sheds light on the subject through a survey of over 900 American travelers.
Based on the study, 82% of the participants had visited a destination related to "dark tourism," and 63% of the remaining group expressed interest in it. Additionally, 52% of the sample saw educational value in these experiences, while 47% wanted to pay tribute to victims of related disasters.
Regarding the most sought-after places to visit by American travelers, the National Memorial of Pearl Harbor, Ground Zero (Twin Towers), and the Paris Catacombs take the top three spots with 45%, 44%, and 43%, respectively.
A study revealed that only 9% of respondents opposed this new trend, while 64% showed a positive attitude or very positive attitude towards it. Interestingly, this percentage rose to 57% for travelers who disliked their companions taking selfies at these destinations.