A light in dark places?

In recent years, tourism scholars have urged the use of more critical methodologies, to the extent that an alternative paradigm of so-called ‘hopeful tourism’ has emerged. ¹ In tandem, a rejection of hegemonic forms of travel has led to the development of arguably ‘critical’ or ‘hopeful’ tourism niches, including graffiti, slum and counter-tourism initiatives, as well as urban exploration and the phenomenon discussed within this chapter: thanatourism, or dark tourism, as it is more commonly known. Dark tourism initiatives frequently profess a social mission, with site providers arguing that the interpretation of dissonant heritage promotes peace through tourism by way of, for example, (re)educating visitors. But to what extent can and do such sites present their attendees with opportunities to critically reflect on their everyday lives, to a degree that could result in the cultural shift required to end world injustices? The answer, to some extent, lies in ephemeral moments of transformation. The attitudinal and behavioural shifts brought about through such moments of transformation are best understood by in-depth analysis of the dark tourism experience, gained via interpretive qualitative social scientific study. This chapter presents empirical findings of such a study of tourist experiences at dark tourism sites that include Auschwitz-Birkenau, the battlefields of the First World War and a murder tour of London. Findings demonstrate the lasting impacts and continuing deeper resonance that visits to dark tourism sites can have. Yet dark tourism’s capacity to lead visitors from empathy towards compassion, an arguable prerequisite for positive action within the current day, is called into question. Such findings further our understanding of dark tourism as a field, but have implications for how such sites function socially and politically in helping to shape attitudes and beliefs.