Interpreting and Representing Dark Tourism

Early in the morning on September 11^th 2001, 19 terrorists from al-Qaeda took over 4 different flights over the United States of America airspace; crashing into the World Trade Centres, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia; and the final flight crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. From this atrocity, it is estimated that nearly 3000 people were killed. Of these were citizens and workers of New York and Virginia, and many other nationalities that were visiting these cities, innocent people flying to various destinations, and people who helped to save the lives of others in the collisions and accidents (www.911memorial.org).

 

9/11 is one of the most famous terrorist attacks known to mankind. Osama bin Laden was a cruel man who plotted and destroyed the lives of thousands of innocent people who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. On May 1^st 2011, justice was finally made to the families of the victims who were killed when bin Laden was caught and killed by a U.S. Navy SEAL Raid (www.dailymail.co.uk)

 

When tourists or holiday makers visit the 9/11 memorial site, Ground Zero or the museums or information centres, it will be guaranteed that they will buy something in memory of visiting the dark tourism site or photos will be taken to help them remember the experience. Buying souvenirs, or kitsch, is the most common concept that is linked with visiting 9/11. Whether the product be a t-shirt, a small teddy bear with the 9/11 logo on, or just simply a pen, this will help the visitor to remember their experience while at the site of one of the world’s most awful tragedies.

 

September 11^th 2001 will always be a remembered date in American history. However, a problem that could arise might be that in thirty/forty years will the victims still be remembered? Different generations of people will have moved on and times will have changed. Of course, the victims’ names will be forever engraved on slabs at the 9/11 site where the tragedy took place, but how many people will be able to remember who they actually were? Will the New York City council ever build another building on top of the 9/11 site, and permanently erase the memory of the deceased? Out of respect, one would hope not. If a new building was ever constructed, it might be created for the memory of the loved ones who died.