Interpreting and Representing Dark Tourism

The dark tourism spectrum is a virtual system to understand if a dark tourism site or attraction will fit under a specific category of darkness. The spectrum includes contrasts between locations, objectives of sites and perceptions of authenticity of an attraction. The contrasts then form a scale, formed from darkest to lightest, to show where a dark tourism site might be placed. Places such as ‘dark-fun factories’ will be the lightest, compared to places of genocide which will be placed on the darkest side of the spectrum. The spectrum is designed to give tourists a better knowledge of the wonder that is dark tourism (Stone 2009:21-22). In relation to this spectrum; 9/11 and Auschwitz are considered to be ‘sites of death and suffering’ and so therefore are at the darkest end of the spectrum. With the Titanic and Princess Diana, the level of darkness will depend on what particular site you are at. For instance, if tourists visit the Titanic museum this will be towards the lighter end of the scale, however, if tourists actually travel to the destination where the incident occurred, then this will be towards the darker end of the scale because people have actually died there. This is also similar for Princess Diana. If tourists visit Althorp where her body was laid to rest this could be around the ‘Light / Lighter’ end of the spectrum, as the tourists are just paying their respects. Nevertheless, if tourists want to visit the location to where she died, this would be towards the ‘Darkest’ part of the spectrum because the Princess had actually died there.

 

The dark tourism interpretation and identity diagram helps tourists to get a grasp on the consumption or experience of the site and its contribution to the identity that it has created (Sharpley and Stone 2009:117). The interpretation part of the spectrum talks about the past and what has happened, it helps to understand the attraction. The consumption is the visitors experience at the attraction or site. The memory/commemoration is about the museums or shops or tours at the attraction that helps us to understand the place a little better. The identity is then what visitors give the attraction, if more people visit then the attraction will have a better identity. Finally, the authenticity is about the realness of the attraction. If we follow the diagram, we start off with an interpretation of something that has happened in the past. This then leads us on to the consumption and visitor experience of the attraction. While at the attraction, memories start occurring or taking place; allowing visitors to experience what has happened in the past and allowing us to re-live what has happened. The memories give the visitors an identity of what happened in the past, and finally, with that identity, visitors can experience or live the realness of what occurred at that attraction.