PROMOTING dark tourism sites can be a delicate balancing act: Drawing visitors to difficult chapters of history without sensationalising the tragedy behind them.
Universiti Teknologi Mara tourism expert Assoc Prof Dr Arni Abdul Gani says such destinations require greater sensitivity in their promotion while still meeting market demands and expectations.
“Promotion must be done in accordance and align with the intention of the destination itself. If it’s for education, then promotion must highlight that aspect more. In general, promotion and advertising for these destinations must be done carefully, and with respectful memorialisation.
“The key here is ethical marketing, which pays attention to remembrance and provides clear context for the historical background, maybe through guided tours,” she tells Sunday Star.
That sensitivity, she says, should extend to the communities connected to the sites.
Arni says conducting a town hall or soliciting information and opinions from people affected by a tragedy are two basic measures that destination management organisations or authorities could take.
“The opinion on what’s OK and what’s not OK will help marketers and destination management make the final call and come up with tours that will satisfy not only the tourists but also the locals.
“We do not want a site that is making profit and gaining popularity at the expense of local cultural and historic significance.
“Even selling merchandise that represents the dark tourism site needs to get approval from authorities and other stakeholders, including the locals, as a way of gaining their trust and as a show of respect.”
Local sensitivities and appeal
The need for sensitivity stems partly from the emotional pull of dark tourism, she says.
While a destination may be considered a heritage, historical or cultural attraction, dark tourism can evoke a stronger emotional response and spark curiosity about the misery or suffering that occurred there.
“Tourists who visit these places are drawn because of their interest to learn and also because of their fascination with tragedy, death and ‘dark’ histories.
“Dark tourism, or as it is also referred to, ‘thanatourism’, is a form of tourism that relates to tragedy, death, crime and catastrophic disasters that have happened in the past.”
(“Thana” derives from the ancient Greek word for death, thanatos.)
That fascination, however, can also be channelled into learning.
“It is about confronting the uncomfortable truths about the past. In some destinations, it can be some form of education too, like visiting old prisons where tourists can learn about punishments and take a look at the old cells where once inmates spent their last days.”
This is where storytelling and historical accuracy become important, particularly when destinations are packaged for visitors.
Arni says suitable programmes and packages, developed around guided tours, can help strike that balance.
“Storytelling and accuracy need to come together so that it will be engaging and yet, at the same time, making sure the history is told in the correct order.
“Cultural sensitivity is of utmost importance, and destination management organisations or travel agencies could use this when drawing the line in managing and planning for dark tourism, as it is important to consider the impact on local communities or people who are affected by such tragedy.”
With dark tourism gaining popularity, Arni sees opportunities for Malaysia but says the growth also brings familiar tourism challenges.
“Globally, dark tourism is reported to increase to US$40bil [RM163bil] in the next decade, which basically highlights a promising opportunity for Malaysia as well.
“Gen Z and millennials are seen as the main target market by 2030, and these generations are mostly described as highly adaptable, smart, nature lovers, and who have a desire for history and travel with a purpose of education. The changes in major markets like this will have a considerable positive impact on tourism nationally and globally.”
However, overtourism, sustainability and overcommercialisation remain concerns.
And as technology changes how people experience destinations, another balancing act may emerge.
“Looking ahead, with the rise of AI-generated content, we are probably going to see more virtual tours of inaccessible dark tourism sites all over the world online.
“The main challenge is to balance innovation with respect. The main point is to always go back to why the site is made available for tourists.
“Since this is mostly related to history, no matter what happened at that place, whether it is a battlefield or macabre location, it is history and requires to be treated with respect and as a learning experience and education.”
