Dark and Historical Tourism

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Executive Summary

The dark and historical tourism industry has the right to exist and needs to be supported as a potentially lucrative and very promising industry. With the clear focus on ethics and the need to respect the historical legacy, as well as the lives that may have been lost to a specific event, the dark and historical tourism, will be able to thrive and offer insightful discoveries to its participants. The dark and historical tourism niche may face some resistance from more conservative people and governments, which is why establishing alliances with public organizations and state authorities should be seen as an important step. However, given the surge in enthusiasm and curiosity toward the specified niche, an increase in its profitability and the number of opportunities that it provides for new businesses is expected.

Introduction

The tourism industry is rather lucrative as a business due to the comparatively steady demand rates within the tourism market, as well as the opportunities that the existing tourist attractions offer. Although traditional sightseeing prevails in the tourism industry, the requests that are more exotic and unorthodox are also quite common. Specifically, the niche of dark and historical tourism deserves closer analysis as one of the possible tourism options. Although dark and historical tourism as a phenomenon has been in existence for quite a long, it has only recently gained a semi-official status as a legitimate business (González, 2018).

Niche Definitions and Key Characteristics

Before going any further with the exploration of the niche of dark and historical tourism, defining the specified niche will be necessary. Although the title is rather self-explanatory, one should clarify that the dark and historical tourism industry concerns itself mostly with the sights that hold a particular historical value as the reminders of a particular disaster (Salehuddin Mohd Zahari et al., 2016). Martini and Buda (2020) are more accurate in their definition: “Dark tourism refers to visitations to places of death, disaster, and atrocities” (p. 679). Therefore, the current definition of dark tourism extends not only t the places that are marked by a specific disaster but also the ones that are in some way linked to a specific grim subject or occurrence.

In turn, the addition of the term “historical” to the specified notion creates the context into which companies operating in the dark and historical tourism realm are placed. Specifically, the sights that are advertised to the target audience include the areas that have been known as the places where a specific historical event leading to a tragedy or a disaster took place (Stone et al., 2018). Thus, despite being rather stretchy, the current definition of the dark and historical tourism niche allows gaining the attention and loyalty of new audiences.

Niche Assessment

SWOT Analysis

Strengths	A vast range of areas to explore as potential tourist destinations; The chance to present visitors with a unique emotional experience; An original area with mostly untapped potential (Sasana et al., 2019);
Weaknesses	Possible ethical concerns; High probability of negative publicity; Difficulties accessing the sights that have not become well-trodden tourist destinations yet (Sasana et al., 2019);
Opportunities	Introducing new and unique experiences for visitors; Expanding the scope of the business geography; Creating unique narratives for attracting target audiences (Sasana et al., 2019);
Threats	Low acceptance rates among general audiences; High competitiveness due to the limited number of well-known destinations; Financial challenges in exploring new destinations (Sasana et al., 2019).

As the SWOT analysis above proves, the niche of dark and historical tourism has a plethora of issues through which it needs to work to establish itself as a legitimate business domain. The necessity to receive admission to the key tourist destinations is, perhaps, one of the points of the greatest concern for the organizations that are trying to inch their way into the specified industry. In turn, the opportunity to expand the range of attractions for tourists and introduce new audiences to the unique experience of dark tourism seems to be rather a viable option. However, to ensure that the specified opportunities can be used by most companies, it is necessary to relieve the domain of dark and historical tourism from its ethical stigma. Currently, the target business context is seen as an attempt to capitalize on tragedies and pain associated with the sights that are typically selected as tourist attractions (Henama, 2017). Therefore, it is imperative o shift the focus toward the exploration of the historical significance of the said events, at the same time retaining the original sense of mystery, danger, and morbid curiosity that the original dark tourism movement incorporated.

PESTLE Analysis

Political	High possibility of the catastrophe under analysis having certain political factors behind the emergence of the catastrophe in question; Possible restrictions for visiting the place of tourist attraction for political reasons; Increase in the popularity of the industry due to the rise in the role of the political agenda in every sphere, including the leisure and entertainment environment (Henama, 2017)
Economic	The need to introduce additional expenses for increasing the safety of tourists when visiting the sights chosen for dark and historical tourism (Sixaba and Rogerson, 2019);
Sociocultural	Possible objections toward the use of local sights as the venues for tourism due to the national trauma; Opportunities for introducing a deeper socio-cultural narrative into the tourism process (Henama, 2017);
Technological	Changes to reinforce the levels of safety provided during dark and historical tourism; Better options for communication and the management of the preparation process for ensuring that the tourism process is going to be implemented according to plan (Henama, 2017);
Legal	Possible repercussion for non-compliance with the local standards for handling the sights associated with tragic events or disasters; Legal outcomes of failing to maintain the said sights in the required condition (Henama, 2017);
Environmental	The necessity to comply with the set standards for maintaining an environmentally safe setting; Need to reduce the footprint that tourists leave when being placed into the target setting of an environment where a catastrophe occurred (Henama, 2017).

Major Issues and Challenges

As the SWOT ad, PESTEL assessments performed above indicate, the potential of dark tourism is currently rather high, yet it may be diminished significantly once the current sights become mundane and lose a major portion of their appeal. As a result, the process of dark tourism will no longer seem exciting for visitors. Another issue to be managed when making a foray into the dark tourism industry is to handle the potential ethical biases. Namely, since the target sights are seen as the places of a catastrophe or a similar disaster that must have taken numerous lives, using these sights as a tourist venue could be perceived by the public as a way of capitalizing on the said tragedy and the sorrow of numerous people.

In addition to the sociocultural concerns mentioned above, one will also have to add to the current issues the difficulty of locating an appropriate venue and marketing it in a way that would attract tourists immediately. Indeed, in the cases such as Chernobyl and Auschwitz, the nature of the disasters defined the publicity that they received, thus causing the specified places to have become some of the most valued dark tourism sights. At the same time, the described sights seem to have been attended frequently enough for them to lose their edge as the areas where dark tourism can take place. Once an area becomes open for legal tourism, the extent of excitement experienced by its explores is expected to drop.

Moreover, one should mention the fact that the demand for dark tourism is quite difficult to track down as a part of the analysis of the current trends. Since the curiosity toward the subject matter has been generally frowned upon in modern society, a range of potential customers for the dark tourism niche may prefer not to share their interests in public. As a result, the assessment of the demand and the evaluation of the current trends in the target setting is barely possible.

For the same reason, the evaluation of customers and the assessment of their needs, as well as the overview of their feedback as the platform for future improvements, becomes highly difficult to conduct. Arguably, the specified issue can be addressed by creating a website with higher levels of online security. However, the specified change does not nullify the presence of contempt for the industry and the people using it.

Strategies for Overcoming the Challenges

The need to renew the brand of dark tourism and introduce innovative options into the set of services offered to the tourists should be accepted as one of the main strategies. For this purpose, creating narratives that surround previously uncharted and unexplored areas will be needed. Namely, the areas that may not be as well-known and well-advertised as Chernobyl or similar venues will have to be marketed to potential customers so that they could recognize the appeal of a previously uncharted area. Thus, companies will be able to keep the levels of excitement high and the impressions that the specified service delivers fresh and new. Consequently, it is crucial to remain respectful and introduce clear ethical standards for tourists’ behavior, ensuring that all visitors adhere to the specified standards fully.

In addition, studying new sights for tourists to visit is crucial since, with the rise of interest toward Chernobyl as it received a substantial amount of attention in media, the need to seek out less known sights has emerged. Currently, the opportunities for fresh ideas in dark tourism include the analysis of China’s potential sights (Weaver et al., 2018). The reasons for the specified trend are quite self-explanatory since China has been one of the most explicit examples of a totalitarian regime (Wang, 2018). Consequently, China has a range of sights that demonstrate the gigantic flaws and the dreadful outcomes of the Communist regime, specifically, the instances of people having massacred (O’Lemmon, 2017). Specifically, the Nanjing massacre memorial can be considered one of the many destinations that China can offer to the proponents of dark and historical tourism.

Possible Hindrances

In the process of implementing the specified strategies, one may expect certain difficulties to take place. Namely, the resistance of local authorities in allowing a specific place to become a tourist sight is most likely to take place. Another possible obstacle that one will encounter when preparing a specific area for becoming a sight for dark and historical tourism involves the high levels of risk and threats to visitors’ health. Apart from the issue of radiation mentioned above, the absence of sanitation, the presence of numerous threats to tourists’ physical and mental health has to be placed on the list of problems that a company will have to overcome when implementing a dark and historical tourism service. Furthermore, utilizing the support of local and state authorities can be considered an important boost in the development of the organization for his reason, the current evolution of the community needs to be perceived through the lens of metamorphosis

Alternative Solutions

Another option that the dark and historical industry could use to boost its efficacy and the performance rates of the companies operating within it includes the enhancement of the use of innovative technology. First and most important, the specified step will have to be taken to improve the security of the services and safety of participants. The described measure is essential for visiting the areas that have been affected by artificial disasters, such as Chernobyl. Specifically, in the latter case, controlling the exposure of visitors to radiation and ensuring that they do not reeve the dose that will hurt their health is critical.

In addition, a public campaign aimed at reconsidering the attitude toward dark tourism could be launched to increase the levels of acceptance toward the subject matter and, thus, the willingness of potential customers to participate. The specified task could be approached from the historical perspective by emphasizing the importance of educating young generations about the past, as well as keeping the historical legacy and promoting education. The specified perspective removes the most controversial aspects of dark and historical tourism, placing the emphasis on the latter component of it and representing it as a learning opportunity and a means of establishing a cross-cultural bond. Thus, one of the main weaknesses of the specified industry, namely, its problematic ethical side, can be reframed as a strength and an opportunity.

With the focus on the educational options that dark and historical tourism can provide, one will be able to avoid a range of restrictions imposed currently on the specified domain of tourism due to the specific political and legal standards of target countries. Therefore, the change in the marketing approach and the manner of representing the said locations should be considered as the issue of the highest necessity for attracting target audiences. The proposed strategy will also help to expand the range of categories of customers that the industry currently attracts. For this reason, companies operating in the dark tourism industry will need to perform a customer analysis to understand what motivates people for such morbid curiosity.

As a result, the marketing approaches to be adopted by companies will speak not only to a very narrow range of customers, mostly those who focus on chasing thrilling and often frightening activities. It will also address those that are willing to study the history of international relationships, different cultures, and their evolution, as well as the relationships within the specified culture-specific communities. Thus, tourist organizations offering dark tourism services will contribute to the enhancement of the global cross-cultural dialogue.

However, at this point, the reasonability of expanding the niche might be brought up as a serious point of contention in the realm of dark and historical tourism. By definition, dark tourism has a clear and direct appeal that is supposed to target a very specific type of customer. Therefore, diluting it with the elements of traditional tourism, which can be tracked down in the attempt at giving dark tourism historical importance, may divert the target demographic from the organization offering it. As a result, the threat of losing a very important part of the customer base that makes dark and historical tourism possible becomes more tangible.

Nevertheless, it is possible to balance between the original idea of dark and historical tourism as the point of attracting people with the mystery and at the same time introducing new audiences to the industry. Although, admittedly, the specified type of entertainment is not going to suit the tastes and needs of all audiences that the traditional tourism industry targets, it still is possible to expand the range of potential customers. The specified goal can be accomplished by retaining the original dark flair of mystery and tragedy, while at the same time providing a historical commentary for the uninitiated, as well as those interested in a more in-depth analysis of the events of which the sights are emblematic.

Ethical Concerns

Although the dark and historical tourism niche is very lucrative, especially with the recent surge in popularity caused by the rise in discussions of the subject matter in online communities, there are some ethical concerns to be aware of when establishing a business in the specified setting. Namely, it is important to keep in mind that the sights selected as the key tourist attractions are the symbols of a major tragedy first. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the approach used toward the establishment of the dark and historical tourism business is delicate and tactful.

Conclusion

The dark and historical tourism industry has been witnessing a massive rise in popularity, which can be attributed to the increase in the use of social media and the process of sharing related interests. In addition, the presence of a political agenda and the increase in the global political tension may have caused the spike in curiosity toward the places symbolic of particular disasters and catastrophes, including both artificial and natural ones. Therefore, the dark and historical tourism industry needs to be developed as a legitimate business.

One might accuse the supporters of the specified idea in attempting at capitalizing on people’s grief and pain, yet the existence of dark and historical tourism has been known long before it became lucrative. Implying the need to study the past and make important discoveries concerning the said events, dark and historical tourism provides a learning opportunity. Being a retrospect into the past and the mistakes made by previous generations, dark and historical tourism invites opportunities for a deep social study and the reconceptualization of some of the crucial historical events.

Reference List

González, D. (2018) ‘Dark Tourism and Memorial Tourism: Nexus and Divergences between Theoretical Models’, European Journal of Tourism Research, 20, pp. 46-58.
Henama, U. S. (2017) ‘Marikana: Opportunities for Heritage Tourism’, African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 6(4), pp. 1-10.
Martini, A. and Buda, D. M. (2020) ‘Dark Tourism and Affect: Framing Places of Death and Disaster’, Current Issues in Tourism, 23(6), pp. 679-692.
O’Lemmon, M. (2017) Analysis of the Legacy of Conflict among International Tourists in Vietnam. International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, 6(1), pp. 1-17.
Salehuddin Mohd Zahari, M., Hafiz Hanafiah, M. and Syafeera Syed Mahboob, S. (2016) ‘Dark Tourism: Is It a Growth Segment for the Malaysia Tourism Industry?’, Tourism and hospitality Management, 22(1), pp. 47-56.
Sasana, H., Nurcahyanto, H. and Novitaningtyas, I. (2019) ‘The Development Strategy of World Heritage Tourism in Indonesia’, African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 8(5), pp. 1-14.
Sixaba, Z. and Rogerson, C. M. (2019) ‘Black Economic Empowerment and South African Tourism: The Early Pioneers’, African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 8(4), pp. 1-10.
Stone, P. R., Hartmann, R., Seaton, A. V., Sharpley, R. and White, L., eds. (2018) The Palgrave Handbook of Dark Tourism Studies. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Wang, S. (2018) ‘Inquiries about Dark Tourist Classification and Related Sustainable Issues of Dark Tourism’, Tourism Today, 1(17), pp. 116-130.
Weaver, D., Tang, C., Shi, F., Huang, M. F., Burns, K. and Sheng, A. (2018) ‘Dark Tourism, Emotions, and Postexperience Visitor Effects in a Sensitive Geopolitical Context: A Chinese Case Study’, Journal of Travel Research, 57(6), pp. 824-838.

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