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Abstract

Purpose: Dark tourism has been a topic of interest among scholars and tourists alike, as it involves visiting sites associated with death and suffering. The concept of dark tourism is not new, but has gained more attention in recent years due to the increasing popularity of visiting such sites. These sites can include war memorials, museums, former prisons, and other places associated with human tragedy. Dark tourism is often considered a form of symbolic and sacred consumption, as visitors are drawn to these sites for a deeper understanding of history, culture, and human nature. Methods: To understand consumer interest in dark tourism, a self-developed structured questionnaire was used as a research instrument to collect data from 260 respondents in Kolkata. Non-probability judgmental sampling was used as a means of sampling. The study identified three factors - culture, pilgrimage, and curiosity - that influence consumer interest in dark tourism. Reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis using SPSS were used to observe the relations and impacts of these factors on consumer interests. Findings: The findings of the study showed that consumers are indeed interested in dark tourism and are eager to explore it further. The study also found that there is a significant influence of culture, sense of pilgrimage, and curiosity towards consumer interests in dark tourism. Implications: The implications of this study is that Consumers are gradually gaining interest on Dark Tourism and they are very much keen about it. Especially, young consumers are very much drawn towards these sites for their historical and cultural significance. Dark Tourism also has a good prospect in the market in terms of tourist interest. Dark tourism can also have a positive impact on local economies by promoting tourism and generating revenue for the region. However, it is important to approach dark tourism with sensitivity and respect for the sites and their histories. Responsible tourism practices should be followed to ensure that these sites are preserved for future generations and visitors are educated about their significance.

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