Dark Tourists: Profile, Practices, Motivations and Wellbeing

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Tourism Studies

Background:

• Dark tourism, visiting sites of tragedy and death, is a growing phenomenon.
• Understanding motivations and psychological impacts is crucial for this niche tourism sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of awareness of dark tourism on psychological states and practices.
• To identify factors influencing dark tourism engagement and its relation to wellbeing.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative survey of 993 respondents.
• Analysis of demographic factors, dark tourism knowledge, motivations, and psychological variables.
• Development of a predictive model for dark tourism practices.

Main Results:

• Awareness of dark tourism is higher among women and the educated.
• Knowledge of dark tourism correlates with visiting sites of tragedy and specific motivations (curiosity, learning, morbid interest).
• A model including demographics, awareness, and motivations explained 38.1% of dark tourism practice variance.
• Negative psychological rumination (sadness, self-hatred, hostility) is associated with darker tourism practices.
• No significant increase in wellbeing was found for those aware of dark tourism beforehand.
• Visiting tragic sites was linked to higher hostility and tourist wellbeing.

Conclusions:

• Dark tourism engagement is influenced by awareness, demographics, and specific psychological motivations.
• While associated with negative psychological traits, dark tourism can paradoxically enhance tourist wellbeing.
• Further research is needed to explore the complex relationship between dark tourism, personality, and wellbeing.