Dark tourism is a new trend that wealthy travelers are embarking on instead of the typical cruises, resorts, and chain hotels. Wealthy elites are now thinking of places that are truly off the beaten path that they can go to see how the locals live—but these ‘off the beaten path’ destinations are typically less visited for a reason.
Dark tourism involves going to what Westerners would think of as ‘dangerous’ locations that have very little tourism. With countries like Afghanistan and Sierra Leone in West Africa high on the list of dark tourism destinations, there are questions raised as to why people feel the need to go here.
What is Dark Tourism?
Dark tourism involves people going to high-risk areas to see how they live, see sights that other people may never get to experience in their lifetime, and have the ‘bragging’ rights to say that they did it. Many travel agents, like David Smyth from New South Wales in Australia, have noticed this increasing trend.
His company, Forward Travel, has noted that there are numerous requests for private trips and customized excursions that are going to little-visited locations in the Middle East, Western Africa, and Eastern Africa. Clients are now requesting to go to countries like West Africa and Iraq, much more unique and possibly dangerous destinations than what they had previously offered, which included Patagonia, Iceland, and Antarctica.
Now, he says that the visits to these ‘dark tourism’ countries have opened his eyes to how much more the travel industry can expand. “Iraq was an eye-opener for me. I’ve visited nearly 100 countries, and I can genuinely say the people in Iraq were the friendliest and most welcoming. They were so happy to see Westerners visiting their country, not to invade or take their artifacts, but to appreciate their culture.”
Dark Tourism Risks
Even though there are certain risks associated with dark tourism, there are challenges associated with traveling anywhere in the world. These destination countries might have a less favorable reputation than, say, places in Europe or the United States, but that doesn’t mean they are necessarily too dangerous or foreboding if you put together a good itinerary with a smart tour group. In fact, they might just have never really experienced an influx of tourism in the past, so they don’t know how to adapt.
Travel agents like Smyth state that visiting these countries is possible, but people should be prepared. They need to respect the local customs, identify potential risks, consult with expert travel agents, register with their home country’s consulate before they leave, and follow the advice of the local guides. Furthermore, these countries have risks associated with them for a reason. Although the majority of people who live in dark tourism locations are beautiful, friendly, and welcoming, there might still be incidences of hatred against foreigners, terrorism attacks, or government unrest.
In Afghanistan, for example, tourism rose by 120% last year to see more than 5,000 visitors enter the country. But, this influx of tourism was marred by a terrorist attack that left six people dead last year. Furthermore, Sierra Leone has numerous travel cautions and advisories from countries, warning individuals to ‘exercise a high degree of caution. Because of these warnings, it is difficult for travelers to get the appropriate travel insurance for their trip.
Book a Trip Today
If you are interested in taking a dark tourism trip to somewhere in the Middle East, Asia, West Africa, or a little-visited location in Europe, make sure you consult with a reputable travel agency and trip planner beforehand. This way, you can cover all of your bases before going to note these beautiful, but potentially dangerous, countries.
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