Södertörns University| School of Natural Science, Technology and
Environmental Studies| Bachelor of Science in Tourism program |
Spring semester 2013
Survey report on awareness/
interest of students in Dark
tourism
– Second assignment to: Memory Landscapes
and Tourism. Intensive short course in dark
tourism (Memorscapes) Saaremaa, Estonia July
28-August 8/9, 2013
Authors: Anna Brandt and Neena Frostne, Sweden
Second assignment to: Memory Landscapes and Tourism. Intensive short course in dark tourism
(Memorscapes) Saaremaa, Estonia July 28-August 8/9, 2013
Survey report on awareness/ interest of students in Dark tourism
This survey was handed out to Bachelor of Science in Tourism student’s year 2010, bytheauthors of
this report Anna Brandt and NeenaFrostne, at Södertörn University under the semester spring
2013.The report contains answers from totally 50 individuals that study the Bachelor of Science in
Tourism programat Södertörn University.
Question 1: On the scale below how familiar are you with the “dark tourism” concept? (Circle the
appropriate number)
On the question number one there were 50% who were familiar and very familiar with the concept
“dark tourism” concept (bar 5, 6, 7 in the diagram). 20% (bar 1 in the diagram) were not at all familiar
with the concept. And the rest 30% is just little familiar whit the concept.
Question 2: In your own words please define “dark tourism” as you understand it.
On this question we have chosen 5 definitions that the students should define concerning dark
tourism. For all the answers please look in enclosure 1. One student answer: “Don’t know anything
about it”. Here we will show five students that we think are representativeexamples of their
definitions.
“Dark tourism is defined for me by many different actors. The original definition by John Lennon and
Foley are for me not following the others. For example media and other academics that are working
in that field. I defined those persons who have knowledge in that field. I defined that as a tourism
product where tragical event-new as old and popular gets tourists visitors where they get information
about what has happened.”
“Tourism to places where something terrible has happen”.
“Places where catastrophe has accord and are visited of tourists of that reason”.
“it can maybe bee attractions where something ”horrible” has accord, maybe something that has
made a mark on the country’s history”.
“Some organizations like prostitution, drugs etc. When people travel to take advantage of a situation
in another country like the sex industry in Thailand”.
Question 3: On the scale below how interested are you to visit places related to
war/disaster/death/suffering? (Circle the appropriate number).
On the question number 3 there were 44% (bar 5, 6, 7 in the diagram) who were interested or very
interested to visit dark tourism places. 66% (bar 1, 2, 3, 4 in the diagram) were not at all interested or
very little interested to visit places related to war/ disaster/death/ suffering.
Question 4: Please list 3 destination/sites in your country that are or could be considered as “dark
tourism” sites/attractions. To illustrate the
answers we have chosen to list the
destinations/sites from the Swedish map
Related Stockholm”dark tourism” sites/attractions
below.
Vasa Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
Vasa Museum- exhibition ‘Face to Face’ where they show skeletons from the ship, Stockholm,
Sweden
Old town, Stockholm, Sweden
Östermalm, Stockholm, Sweden
Old town-Stockholm’s blood bath, Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholmghost walk, Guided tours in Old town Stockholm, Sweden
Museum, about Stockholm bloodbath, Stockholm, Sweden
SkogskyrkogårdenThe Woodland Cemetery, in Stockholm Sweden,
The Big Squarein Old Town Stockholm, Sweden
Olof Palme’sstreet, Stockholm, Sweden
Birka on the island of Björkö in Lake Mälaren,Sweden’s first real
Town. During Viking times eighth century
Långholmen- Prison museum, Stockholm, Sweden
ShipwrecksDalarö, Haninge, Stockholm, Sweden
Malmskillnadsgatan, Stockholm, Sweden
Other” dark tourism sites/attractions in Sweden
Uppsala mounds is the name of the three so-called royal mounds of Old Uppsala.
Uppsala, Sweden
Bohus fortress,Bohuslän, Gothenburg, Sweden
Tjörn Bridge, formerdemolished bridge, Bohuslän, Göteborg
LinnéplatsenGothenburg, Sweden
HeligaBirgittassten. Kalvnäset,Uppland , Sweden
Martebo lights, Gotland, Sweden
Battlefield of Mästerby, Gotland, Sweden
Nyköping banquet, Nyköping, Sweden
Ådalen shootings, Kramfors, Sweden
Halmstad, Sweden,
Engsö Castle, Västerås, Sweden
Varberg fortress, Varberg, Sweden
Shipwreck’s in the archipelago
Rataskär, Robertfors municipality, Sweden
Picture: The Swedish map has following
license=
GNU Free Documentation License
Author NordNordWest:http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sweden_location_map.svg
Three students have not answered the question and two write that they “don’t know”. One student
commented: “I am not familiar with this in Sweden, we have some streets like Malmskillnadsgatan
(Stockholm), and some clubs more or less taking that kind of apportion.” And one student answered
an overall answer “Wars between Sweden and Denmark".
Question 5: Please list 3 sites/attractions related to “dark tourism” you have visited in your
country or abroad?To illustrate the answers we have chosen to list the sites/attractions from the
World Map bellow.
Picture: The World map has following
license=
GNU Free Documentation License
Author original uploader Roke: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BlankMap-World-v2.png
Four students have not given any examples on this
question.
Europe
Amterdam, Netherlands,where you can takedrugs,Chile, South America and the
sameinThailand
AuschwitzBirkenau, Poland
The Berlin Wall, Germany
Hitler'seagle's nest, Germany
The Vasa ship, Stockholm, Sweden
Engsö castle, Sweden
Old Town, Stockholm, Sweden
Stortorget (The Big Square), Sweden
Martebo lights,Sweden
Battlefield of Mästerby, Sweden
Stockholm Ghost walk, Sweden
Stockholm’s bloodbath, Sweden
Skogskyrkogården- cemetery, Sweden
Varberg Fortress, Sweden
Ronneby bloodbath, Sweden
Jerusalem, Israel
Kilmainham Gaol Prison, Ireland
Tower of London, United Kingdom
Churchill’sold bunker in London, United Kingdom
Concentration camp in Germany
Normandy, D-day beaches, France
Montmartre, France
Chernobyl, Ukraine
Vesuvius, Italy
KutnaHora, Czech Republic
Jüdisches Museum Berlin, Berlin,Germany
Checkpoint Charlie, Germany
The country of Bosnia
Treblinka, Germany
A tankwreckoutside Jordan
Africa
Slave cellars, Tanzania
Asia
Cambodia-Killing fields, Cambodia
Mindanao, Philippines
Vietnam- Cu Chi tunnels, Vietnam
Vietnam- war museum, Vietnam
Krabi, Thailand
North America
Alcatraz, San Francisco,United States of America
Monument for afireman, San FranciscoUnited States of America
John Lennon’s death place in New York, United States of America
Arlington National Cemetery, United States of America
Question 6: Below are listed some possible reasons why you might want to visit “dark tourism”
sites. Pleas provide your answer your answer to each of these statements on 7-point scale (1totally disagree, 7-totally agree). We have chosen to show each statement in one diagram each.
The statement is named, statement 6.1 to 6.10 for each question. For example (Statement 6.1
stands for statement “Because I want to “see it in order to believe it”).
58% (bar 1,2,3 in the diagram) totally disagree that they wanted to visit “dark tourism” sights in order
to believe it.42% (bar 4,5,6,7 in the diagram) agreed to totally agree that they wanted to visit “dark
tourism” sights in order to believe it.
Statement 6.2
To make the event real for me
10
1
10
6
6
2
3
4
8
5
5
5
6
7
On this statement 6.2 44% ( bar 1,2,3 in the diagram) totally disagree or disagree that they would
visit a “ dark tourism” sight to make it even real for them.56% ( bar 4,5,6,7 in the diagram) little
agreed to totally agree that they would visit a “dark tourism“ sight to make it even real for them.
Statement 6.3
To learn more of what happened
17
11
8
6
5
3
4
3
0
1
2
5
6
7
On this statement 6.3 no answers where on (bar 2 in the diagram).18% (bar 1, 3 in the diagram)
totally disagreed to disagreed that they would visit a “dark tourism” sight because to learn more
what happened.82% (bar 4,5,6,7 in the diagram) showed agree to totally agree that they would visit
a “dark tourism sight” to learn more of what happened.
Statement 6.4
To better understand what happened
16
12
4
3
1
2
5
3
6
3
4
5
6
7
On this statement 6.4 26 %( bar 1, 2, 3 in the diagram) totally disagreed to little agreed that they
would visit a “dark tourism” sight to better understand what happened. 74% (bar 4, 5, 6, 7 in the
diagram) agreed to totally agree that they would visit a “dark tourism” sight to better understand
what happened on that sight.
On this statement 6.5 80% (bar 1,2,3,4 in the diagram) totally disagreed to little agreed that they
would visit a “dark tourism” sight because it is an tourist attraction.20% ( bar 5,6,7 in the diagram)
agreed or totally agreed that they would visit a “dark tourism” sight because it is an tourist
attraction.
On this statement 6.6 84% (bar 1,2,3,4 in the diagram) totally disagreed to little agreed that they
were interested in seeing sites linked to death/ suffering. 16% (bar 5, 6, 7 in the diagram) agreed to
totally agreed that they were interested in seeing sites linked to death /suffering.
On this statement 6.7 no answer was on the scale number 7 totally agree on “To help me feel
empathy whit the victims”.64% (bar 1, 2, 3 in the diagram) totally disagreed that they visit a “dark
tourism“sight to help them feel empathy whit the victims.36% (bar 4, 5, 6 in the diagram) little
agreed to agreed that they would visit a “dark tourism” sight to help them feel empathy with the
victims.
On this statement 6.8 no answer was on scale number 7 totally agree on “Because I want to have an
emotional experience”.88% (bar 1, 2, 3, 4, in the diagram) totally disagreed to little agreed that they
would visit a “dark tourism” site because they want to have an emotional experience.12% little agree
to agree that they would visit a “dark tourism “sight because the wanted to have an emotional
experience.
On this statement 6.9 84% (bar 1,2,3,4 in the diagram) totally disagreed to little agreed that they
would visit a “dark tourism “sight to make them feel closer to their heritage. 14% (bar 5, 6, 7 in the
diagram) little agree and totally agree that they would visit a “dark tourism” sight to make them feel
closer to their heritage.
On this statement 6.10 38% (bar 1, 2, 3 in the diagram) totally disagreed to little agreed that they
would visit a “dark tourism” sight to better understand the heritage of the place they visit.62% (bar
4,5,6,7 in the diagram) agreed to totally agreed that they would visit a “dark tourism” site to better
understand the heritage of the place they visit.
Enclosure 1
Question 2 from the survey: In your own words please define “dark tourism” as you understand it
Respondent 1: Dark tourism is tourism that has to do with visiting places where negative events
have taken place.
Respondent 2: Dark tourism is historical. Attraction place there to get to know about a historical part,
for example World War 2, Auschwitz (Poland) there many countries was involved and many people
died in Europe mass grave.
Respondent 3: Swedish: Turism till platser där något hemskt har hänt.
English translation: Tourism to places where something terrible has happen.
Respondent 4: Swedish: Det handlar om minnesturism.
English translation: It’s about Memory Tourism.
Respondent 5: Swedish: Tragiska mörka platser som är lämnade.
English translation: Tragically dark places which is abounded.
Respondent 6: Visiting churches, graveyards etc. and other things that somehow are related to death
of people
Respondent 7: Don’t know anything about it
Respondent 8: I guess it has to do whit dark things? Auschwitz could be dark tourism
Respondent 9: A place where horrible things took place. I.E. Auschwitz, Cambodia, Memorial sights
Respondent 10: Travel in the purpose of visiting a site that has any association whit death and
autencity
Respondent 11: I see it as a place where evil deeds have taken place and later on have been turned
into an area which accepts tourist and talk about those very specific things.
Respondent 12: A place whit bad and horrible history that is interesting to visit
Respondent 13: Dark tourism is tourism related to death and tragedy
Respondent 14: Dark tourism is tourism attractions that are related whit death, wars, disasters etc.
Respondent 15: Sneaky tourism not reliable or maybe some dark history
Respondent 16: Kanske saker man inte är medveten om, men får reda på under turistandet? Kanske
något. Med dåliga erfarenheter som krigshärjade platser.
English translation: Maybe stuff that you are not aware of, but get aware of from being a tourist?
Maybe something with bad experience as battlefields sights.
Respondent 17: Swedish: Platser med mörkhistoria.
English translation: Places with dark history
Respondent 18: Swedish: Handlar om platser där mord och andra hemska saker har hänt historiskt.
English translation: It is places where murder and other horrible things have happened historical.
Respondent: 19 Interest in dark subjects like vampires, death, mystery, ghosts etc.
Respondent: 20 I believe it is places which shows the tourists place from war and where bad things
has happened.
Respondent: 21 Swedish: Historiska platser med lidande focus.
English translation: Historical places whit suffering in focus.
Respondent: 22 Swedish: Plats där katastrof inträffat och besöks av turister av den anledningen.
English translation: Places where catastrophe has accord and are visited of tourists of that the
reason.
Respondent 23: Dark tourism is a place where something bad has happened and now people visit it.
Respondent 24: History, death
Respondent 25: Prostitution
Respondent 26: Dark
Respondent 27: Memory tourism
Respondent 28: Besökpå ex. Krigsplatser (visiting war places)
Respondent 29 Besök på platser där det var krig (viseting places where has been in war)
Respondent 30: Dark tourism is tourism that focus on stuff that is not that positive like World War II
Respondent 31: Omfattar kanske attraktioner där något “hemskt” har skett, kanske även något som
satt prägel på landets historia.
English translation: it can maybe bee attractions where something ”horrible” has accord, maybe
something that has made a mark on the country’s history.
Respondent 32: Swedish: Auschwitz. Där människor blev dödade. Dark tourism relaterar till turism
där krig och annat hemskt försiggått.
English translation: Auschwitz. There people got killed and so on. Dark tourism is related to tourism
there war and other stuff have happened.
Respondent 33: Dark tourism is tourism about wars and other things that is dark. For example
Auschwitz, Berlinmuren (The Berlin wall), World War 2
Respondent 34: Some organizations like prostitution, drugs etc. When people travel to take
advantage of a situation in another country like the sex industry in Thailand.
Respondent 35: Tourism connected to war and death
Respondent 36: Travel to sites associated whit death and tragedy
Respondent 37: Travel to disaster sites or related to death
Respondent 38: Where dark actions took place
Respondent 39: Swedish: morbid turism typ saker som hänt I historien som har med brott och
tragedi att göra
English translation: Morbid tourism sort off, like stuff that happen in the history that has whit blood
and tragedy to do. Respondent 40: I define it like something scary, I think about history, things that
has happened
Respondent 41: Dark tourism is tourism about scary things I think
Respondent 42: Swedish: Kyrkor, döden, andras olycka.
English translation: Charters, death, others on fortune
Respondent 43: Places related to war disaster, death and other dark happenings
Respondent 44: Swedish: En plats eller en attraktion som kan kopplas till en händelse som kanske
inte nödvändigtvis är hemsk och innehåller död, men det är det första jag tänker på
English translation: A place or an attraction that can be associated to an event that maybe not
necessarely is horrible and it contains death, but that is the first thing I am thinking of.
Respondent 45: Swedish: Något mörkt, ledsamt. Myckethistoria
English translation: Something dark, sorrowful. Much history
Respondent 46: Tourism concerning places where people been …. Or killed (example)
Respondent 47: Swedish: Dark tourism definieras enligt mig olika av olika aktörer. Den ursprungliga
definitionen av John Lennon & Foley följer enligt mig inte andra. Tillexempel media av andra
akademiker som är insatta i ämnet. Jag definierar det som är insatt i ämnet. Jag definierar det som en
turismverksamhet där tragiska händelser- gamla som nya och aktuella får turistiska besökare där de
får information om det som skett.
English translation: Darkt tourism is defined for me by many different actors. The original definition
by John Lennon and Foley are for me not following the others. For example media and other
academics that are working in that field. I defined those persons who have knowledge in that field. I
defined that as a tourism product where tragically event-new as old and popular gets tourist’s
visitors where they get information about what has happened.
Respondent 48: Dark tourism är som att besöka länder, krig eller att man skulle besöka Thailand efter
tsunamin
English translation: Dark tourism is like visiting countries, war or you could visit Thailand after the
tsunami
Respondent 49: I would say that its tourism in a history case. That you discover that darker side of a
history. Such as World War II and old battlefields
Respondent 50: Tourism that takes advantage of a dark past like shipwrecks or Auschwitz