The Term Dark Tourism - Essay Example

?Running head: CRITICAL DISCUSSION OF TWO URBAN DARK TOURISM SITES BASED ON DEATH AND DISASTER Critical Discussion of Two Urban Dark Tourism Sites Based On Death and Disaster Insert Name Insert Course Title Insert Instructor’s Name O6 October 2011 Critical Discussion of Two Urban Dark Tourism Sites Based On Death and Disaster Introduction Traveling to places, sites, and regions that represent the stories, memories, and people of the past has gradually evolved to become a powerful force that characterizes heritage tourism (Edgell, 2006, p.62). Heritage tourism involves visitors moving to places, largely motivated by curiosity and fantasies associated with the past of the place, region, activity, or people (Williams, 2009, p.243). Production and consumption of heritage tourism in terms of memories of war, disaster, and battle sites constitutes an evolving modern phenomenon known as dark tourism, which is gaining interest among tourists and scholars. Memories about war, disasters, and battle sites have produced interests, curiosity, and adventurism among many tourists. Urban dark tourism therefore constitutes a field that is emerging powerfully, involving people around the world traveling towards sites, attractions, and events that have association in one way or the other with death, suffering, violence, or disaster (Stone, 2005). Wight (2006) notes that interpretation, marketing, and production of dark tourism products in the modern world is huge. However, inevitability of debate concerning political and ethical issues of the concept remains live and unavoidable (Sharpley, 2009, p.5). Due to this observation, this research paper aims to critically discuss ethical and political issues of two urban dark tourism products/sites that emerge as a result of interpreting, marketing, and producing the two dark tourism products or sites. Dark Tourism Lennon and Foley (2000) coined the term ‘dark tourism’ and later Seaton (1996) named the same concept ‘thanatourism’ (Smith, MacLeod and Robertson 2009). Other names used to refer to the concept can be cited in the works of Rojek (1993) who refers to it as ‘Black Spots’ tourism (Britton and Syracuse University 2008, p.63), ‘heritage of atrocity’ by Tunbridge and Asworth (1996), while Rojek (1997) refers to it as ‘sensation sites’ (cited in Smith, MacLeod and Robertson, 2009). Examples of key areas explored by authors that can be categorized as dark tourist sites include; cemeteries, battlegrounds, sites of deaths of celebrities, places disasters have taken place, prisons, chambers where torture has taken place, genocide sites, and memorials (Bigley, Lee, Chon, and Yoon, 2010). Dark tourism has grown and its implications exhibit interplay between various structures of; political, social, and cultural conditions of the society (Stone and Sharpley, 2008) and today bountiful potential exists in dark tourism as a result of media and communication technologies (Sharpley, 2009). Emergence of dark tourism is associated with emergence of post-modernism concept, together with its elements of communication and globalization (Huggan, 2009). What this means is that, dark tourism is regarded to be a product of post-modern culture that has been conceived and reared by global communications networks, anxieties about modernity and the general emphasis on commoditization. Presence of global communication technologies has been effective in creating the basic interest among tourist to visit these areas (Lennon and Foley, 2000). Apart from the role communication technologies play, it also appears that dark tourism sites possess ability to introduce anxiety and doubt about the project of modernity (Smith, MacLeod, and Robertson, 2009). Lastly, in consuming dark tourism products, post-modernism culture combines education with elements of commoditization and commercial ethic where visiting dark sites is perceived to constitute an opportunity to achieve mediated goals of tourism consumption. Dark tourism does not enjoy rosy ride, rather, there has been tendency among some scholars to critique the concept largely due to the goal of commoditization and trivialization of death and disaster. Death and disaster, according to this group of authors, is turned into leisure experiences for modern world tourist consumption (Smith, MacLeod, and Robertson, 2009). The issue of authenticity of some sites has been widely questioned, especially when there is geographical disassociation to the actual site and in such cases, tourists are seen to consume unauthentic experiences (Yuill, 2003). The issue of site authenticity has led to Tunbridge and Ashworth (1996) to observe that many of dark tourism sites possess the potential for dissonance or discord and this is so when the views of both victims and perpetrators are unequally given prominence (Graham and Howard, 2008). Furthermore, some authors have refuted the idea that death-related tourism sites are wholesale dark (Stone, 2006 cited in Smith, MacLeod, and Robertson, 2009). Therefore, it can be concluded that the field of dark tourism is wide; more questions have been raised, and at same time, continuous research work remains the bedrock of explaining dynamism in the field. Two urban dark tourism sites After the events of 11/9/2001, World Trade Center has become a major tourist destination in USA, especially with branding of Ground Zero. Before the bombing of the WTC towers, only 1.8 people visited the WTC complex in 2000. However, this number rose in 2002, whereby, about 3.6 million visited WTC (Sather-Wagstaff, 2011). At the same time, in 2003, it was estimated that about 80% of both local and foreign tourists to Lower Manhattan visited the WTC (Sather-Wagstaff, 2011). As the recovery and re-building of WTC after the events of 9/11continues to take place, it is evident that tourism activities in the area continue to flourish. Many tourists who visit this site indicate their motive to do so originating from desire to witness history in process, memorize the dead, and further, grapple with the reality of an unexpected huge disaster in USA history (Sather-Wagstaff, 2011). Despite this, many locals, scholars, cultural critics, journalists, and everyday people have criticized this initiative of promoting Ground Zero as a destination site, indicating it to be inappropriate and exploitative (Sather-Wagstaff, 2011). Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland is another historical urban dark tourist site. For some period now, the site has been experiencing influx of visitors, both local and international who come to witness the real horror picture of Nazi atrocities. Auschwitz is believed to have been the main point where extermination acts took place that claimed about 1,000,000 people, majority being Jews (Sharpley and Stone, 2010, p.32). It is here people were exterminated using poisonous gas chambers, starvation, while others died from disease (Lew, Hall, and Timothy, 2008). As a famous place in the world history (for the wrong reasons), Auschwitz has evolved to become one of the most toured dark destination in the world, estimates indicating millions of people flock this Poland urban center every year to witness the ‘darkest and evil history of mankind’. In 1947, Polish government enacted an Act that promoted this site as a heritage center, a decision that was also undertaken by UNESCO in 1979 that recognized Auschwitz as the world heritage site (Lew, Hall, and Timothy, 2008). Promotion and advertisement of this site locally and internationally remains huge and the impact has seen mass flow of tourist to this region every year. Production of dark tourism products Death, disasters and tragedies are considered as accidents of nature or instigated and influenced by human actions. Occurrence of these ‘accidents’ in post-modern world has led to commodification or commercialization of the accidents where now it is possible to ‘sell’ and ‘buy’ products associated with death, grief, accidents and any other form of tragedy (Sharpley, 2009). Production of these dark products takes place within the intertwined and interrelated social, economic, political and cultural structures of the society. As a result, the final dark site product produced reflect characteristics of politics, economy, social and cultural aspects of the society it is produced in. Interpretation of dark tourism products Interpretation of dark sites and attractions has been conducted in manner that satisfies or appeal to both political, media, economic, and social stakeholders (Sharpley, 2009). In this way, conveying of information about the sites and attraction manifest numerous aspects of dissonance as representation or presentation of the history of the site or attraction may be distorted or compromised in order to suit interests of particular group (s) of key stakeholders. For, instance the interpretation of the above two sites has largely exhibited aspects of political interest with aim to convey particular political message. Marketing of dark tourist products Marketing has become the largest avenue dark tourist products have been transmitted and exposed to the larger world. Popularity of these dark sites and attractions has been achieved through marketing and promotion activities by various media channels (Lennon and Foley 2000). The emergence and development of technology has further speeded the process of marketing dark sites to far regions of the world. Again, marketing of dark sites has not escaped the aspect of dissonance, where interests exist and they are transferred into marketing and promotional activities for dark sites. Ethical and political issues regarding dark tourism Dark tourism is perceived to be a product of post-modernism and commodification is the main aim of economic stakeholders in dark tourism industry (Dark Tourism Forum, 2011). As the issue of commodification become more prevalent and manifested, authenticity of dark tourism products remains unclear, hidden, and partially presented, thereby watering the whole idea of dark tourism. Given this scenario, dissonance is a term that has been used to capture the various aspects of dark tourism. Dissonance in dark tourism represents manifestation of inconsistent attitudes and behavior among the various stakeholders in the dark tourism industry which generally involves distortion of dark tourism products with regard to production, interpretation and marketing (Ashworth, 1996 cited in Sharpley, 2009). Political issues constitute the first aspects that come out from the entire process of dark tourism. (Robinson, Heitmann and Dieke, 2011) talks of politicization of dark whereby there exist possibility of dark sites being turned into effective tools in the art of political manipulation, disinformation and propaganda (Robinson, Heitmann and Dieke, 2011). Political propaganda in dark tourism cannot be ruled in the two cases; Ground Zero and Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Political propaganda emanate from the aspect of intentional manipulation of information with political intend. The occurrence of the two tragedies as highlighted above has led political class in both countries to actively sell, reinforce, or even aid a particular political agenda using dark sites as tools (Robinson, Heitmann, and Dieke, 2011). For example, in the case of Auschwitz Concentration Camp, political regimes have tended to politicize the ideology of de-Nazism (Robinson, Heitmann, and Dieke, 2011). In the case of Ground Zero, terrorism has been given political dimension in terms of foreign policy that America has undertaken (Shamma, 2011). The morality of these politicization of dark sites remain an issue sparsely addressed given the fact that institutionalization of terrorism war through Ground Zero may essentially escalate rather that reduce terrorist activities. Ethical issues also arise from dark tourism of the above two cases. For example, the process of commodification of dark sites has resulted into increased marketing and promotion activities. For instance, the large number of visitors experienced at Ground Zero and Auschwitz Concentration Camp every year has to do with increased marketing activities. The way normal advertisement and marketing activities are carried out and compared becomes an ethical concern as to whether death and tragedies should be celebrated or mourned. Advertisements always postulate fantasies and memories, sometimes glorifying dark sites in form of ‘romantism’ advertisement and marketing, and provided the nature of the tragedies that took place in these places, the authenticity of information conveyed to the public remains ethically questionable. At the same time, promoting Ground Zero and Auschwitz Concentration Camp as tourist destinations, especially after some opposition from the victims constitute another ethical issue. The rights of dead, survivors and victims need to be protected and upheld. Some victims in the two regions have expressed displeasure at the increased inflow of visitors and the general feeling is that these two areas should not be transformed into tourist destinations. The aspect of commodifying dead people and to extend the dark sites should not arise as this aspect violates victims’ special connection to the sites that to them are sacred (Yuill 2003; Robinson, Heitmann and Dieke, 2011; Klann and Sarah Lawrence College, 2009, p.26). Further, the aspect of setting and establishing ancillary tourist services besides the dark sites remain an ethical issue that should be addressed. For instance, besides the two dark sites being constructed and refurbished, there is tendency to ‘cash’ on tragedies, where hotels, restaurants, and even souvenir shops are being constructed around or near the dark sites (Marcel, 2004). Further, transport operators tend to increase their business opportunities and profits by advertising these places as popular attraction places and as a result, they appear to be desensitized by the tragedy and harm incurred but the biggest motive and desire lie in benefiting economically from the tragedy (Simpson and Simpson, 2010). Moreover, there exist ethical issues in the way those coming to visit the places are motivated. Majority may express that, coming to these two places is purely for education, remembrance and sharing of sorrow and grief (McLaren, 2003, p.50), but closer look at actions they engage in when at the places may well be deemed to exhibit tendency for fascination and curiosity . For, instances when visitors take photos happily at the places, buy memorabilia and get excited at the places, then it may be deemed that the aspect of sorrow, sharing pain, learning and education are lost and forgotten and the visitors largely tend to celebrate extreme misfortune of others (Moss 2010, pp.169-170; Daams, 2007). Hot interpretation of these two dark sites is another area that gives rise to ethical issue (Kendle, N.d). For instance, the real displays at Ground Zero of the WTC ruins and also human remains at Auschwitz Concentration Camp evokes particular reactions to visitors that may eventually distract the real motive of the visitor and subsequently what is seen remain reactionary point of reference in the minds of the visitor. Ethically, the way this is handled in the two dark sites remains unclear and this in essence has resulted into dilemma. The ethical nature of media production, interpretation, and marketing of dark sites has also remained an issue. For instance, the media possess the ability to influence the conscious of population and tourists. The tourists consume messages, information and knowledge that media generate and disseminate (Sood, 2011). In most cases, the authenticity of information and messages conveyed to visitors is largely modified to suit the visitors and the dark sites thus leading to distorted information being consumed by visitors. Visiting Ground Zero or Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland, constitute the desire on the part of the visitor to derive authenticity of history, events and more so the tragedy (Thurnell-Read, 2009; Sturken, 2007, p.11). Undiluted authenticity is what every tourist or visitor will want to achieve when at Ground Zero or at Auschwitz (Waterton and Watson, 2010, p.146). This authenticity may not be achieved when media distort it, modify, or conceal it (Thurnell-Read 2009). Conclusion Dark tourism remains one area of tourism that controversy, excitement, and research will continue to define and characterize the sub-field. Interpretation, production, and marketing of dark tourism will continue to take place within the structural arrangements of economic, political, social, and cultural aspects of the society. Post-modernism issue coupled with increasing forces of globalization in terms of technology and communication will surely motivate the need for dark tourism activities. However, as the issues become more acceptance and inevitable ethical issues together with ethical dilemmas need to be dealt with by all concerned stakeholders. The tourism industry, the government, the media and tourist themselves in their respective capacities need to pay attention to the issue of ethical and its related dilemmas. In this capacity, the issue of authenticity, moral and motivation as to why dark tourism is becoming popular need to be re-examined by everyone involve. Proper mechanisms to deal with the issue of ethics like paying attention to space, time, and form of dark site products need to be upheld. Again, production, marketing, promotion, and subsequent advertisement of dark site products should constantly observe the moral, ethical and respect it should accord the victims and the affected. In this perspective, there is need to seek opinions of the victim and affected over and subsequently integrate the opinions in production, marketing and promotion activities of dark sites. Reference List Bigley, JD, Lee, CK, Chon, J & Yoon, Y 2010, Motivations for war-related tourism: a case of DMZ visitors in Korea, Journal of Tourism Geographies, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 371-394, viewed 04 October 2011, http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=8&sid=36420ba1-a978-4eef-a79d-b84e7095824c%40sessionmgr11. 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Yuill, SM 2003, Dark tourism: Understanding visitor motivation at sites of death and disaster, Thesis Paper, Texas A&M University, viewed 04 October 2011, http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:iQHhz_erhxwJ:repository.tamu.edu/bitstream/handle/1969.1/89/%3Fsequence%3D1+political+dilemma+and+dark+tourism&hl=en&gl=ke&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShJmxUUtpjBRJIDkRXZ-vdfZocUj6Nkel3UsEG9NCSLZdbIQlrWfqyerwUb12a_QOLKg3gzhAjlFDc2_WBuEfL0izaWB-NBNzjaUrEZg61I0beaMk7qwPFAOM_FfwhV9xRDkxvZ&sig=AHIEtbQkiC9alDdtxxHNalff9AEDKI5LCA. Read More