7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
1/13
[Type text]
0
Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism
Destination
Aleksandr Gorbenko
Certificate in International Hotel and Tourism Management
HTMi Switzerland
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
2/13
[Type text]
1
Table of Content
Introduction ................................................................................ 2
Historical Manifestations of Dark Tourism .........................2
Dark Tourism Motivation ....................................................... 3
Positive Sides of Dark Tourism ............................................. 6
Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination ......... 7
Conclusion .................................................................................... 8
Recommendations .................................................................... 9
References ................................................................................... 9
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
3/13
[Type text]
2
Introduction
Disaster tourism is a sub-category of grief tourism, or as it more commonly
known dark tourism (or thanatotourism). Dark tourism is the act of travelling
and visiting to different places all around the globe, where death or deadly
actions took place (The Dark Tourism Forum 2005.). It includes travel to
former sites of mass destruction, like Ground Zero after events 9/11 in New
York City, and others, like battlefields, concentration camps, where millions of
people died in tortures during the wars (Soanes 2006.). Disaster tourism is
more specific type of grief tourism, which refers to visiting attractions and
exhibitions of natural disasters. Some places are more exposed and vulnerable
to natural disasters, some of them - not. But one thing can be stated certainly:
disasters theoretically can happen anytime and anywhere (Redcross 2010.).
Historical Manifestations of Dark Tourism
Dark tourism is not a new phenomenon, people started to be the participants of
dark tourism, when there was no even such term like dark tourism or tourism
at all. For example the Roman gladiator fights. The first games were held in
Rome in 264 BCE (Fowler 2006.). This death attraction gained popularity
among people of Rome very quickly. The arenas were full of people who
desired to look and see the fight, which led to death of participants. Another
example is medieval public hanging and other different types of executions. In
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
4/13
[Type text]
3
middle Ages it was the biggest attraction. First experience of mass tourism
1841, Great Britain, Thomas Cook organized a rail journey for 500 travellers
(Page 2009.). The sites they visited included American Civil War battlefields
and witnessing two murderers being hanged (Sharpley 2009.). Mark Twain also
was a leader of the group of tourists who had visited the destroyed city of
Sebastopol after the Crimean War. Those who followed him were taking small
parts of shrapnel as a souvenir. Victorian England travellers visited morgues.
Tragedy and death have always attracted people, since very ancient times
(Women on the road 2010.).
Dark Tourism Motivation
According to The Dark Tourism (2010), investigating why people travel to
certain places and do certain things is relevant to two reasons: academic
investigation and tourism management. Several researches have been made in
previous years and the connection was found between tourist motivation and
different forms of human behaviour, which are relevant to hospitality
management and theoretical perception of motivation. Illustrations of such
kind of behaviour are the information sources used and the choice of
destination, as well as the mode, or the way of travel.
Motivation of dark tourism is relatively new subject of research and we think it
is important due to the rapid development of dark tourism in the past few
years. According to Dunkley (2006), there is no single reason or motivation,
which could justify the willingness of people to travel to sites where people
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
5/13
[Type text]
4
have died as a result of a disaster, whether natural or man-made. To
understand this phenomenon, it is said that thanatotourist should be perceived
as acceptable, but not deviant, because taking such kind of tourism as a morbid
fascination with death could be misleading, as researches cease to be objective,
but most likely subjective. Dunkley, R. A. suggests several motivation factors:
Contemplation Special Interest Thrill/Risk Seeking Validation Authenticity Self-discovery Iconic sites Convenience Morbid curiosity Pilgrimage Remembrance and Empathy
As well as the psychological and sociological factors should be considered and
taken into account, during the analysing and studying dark tourism motivation.
It is supposed to be the combination of reasons and interest, which can provoke
one to visit such kind of places and this, should be the starting point for future
academic research of thanatotourism as a developing phenomenon in tourism
industry.
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
6/13
[Type text]
5
According to Women on the road (2010), just a year after New Orleans suffered
from Hurricane Katrina, the city was full embraced by the disaster tourism.
People are curious about disasters and the consequences after them. It is said
that it could be a taste of authenticity. People want to experience everything
first-hand without any mediators. Other theory states that people probably
became less sensitive. They see violence, death, destruction on television and
other mass media sources on a daily basis, so there is nothing unusual if the
real disaster struck somewhere. Possibly, it is a superstition that if the disaster
has struck here, it wont strike again. Also there are people who prefer to be
near danger. Some like to visit unspoilt places not crowded by tourism
(Women on the road 2010.).
Tsunami in Southeast Asia in 2004. Sounds of clicking cameras could be heard
all beaches along. Those tourists were not there to help or donate, they took
picture and ran it was voyeurism. Similar information was reported from the
disaster region in North America people who were there to help and to offer
support had to decline tourists who were trying to pretend to be locals. They
put themselves in danger and distracted fire fighters and rescue workers. If
tourists got an accident, then medicine have to be used on him, while it should
be used on local people, who suffer from disaster consequences. And it is
unknown do they realize that or not (Women on the road 2010.).
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
7/13
[Type text]
6
Positive Sides of Dark Tourism
There are some positive sides of dark tourism. Visiting questionable places
could help to understand more clearly the history of some particular place.
Also, this visit would be a financial contribution to economically recessed
region. But, on the other hand, your visit could cause residents to relive the
tragedy, which they would prefer to forget. You can be treated very
disrespectfully, as your actions are morally wrong in their vision (Women on
the road 2010.).
Crampton (2005) states, that the amount of tourists, who are visiting and
intending to visit tourist destinations, related to death is increasing and in some
cases this amount becomes even higher than it used to be before disaster hit.
Pacific Asia Travel Association collected the statistics, which indicates on
significant increase in tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka, after the events of December
2004, where tsunami left dead about 30,000 people. There was considerable
rise of tourists visiting Sri Lanka, particularly from March till August, in
comparison to previous years same period. According to the same
organisation, the post-tsunami Thailand, where a total amount of 10,000 people
went dead and missing, was having a lot of foreign visitors, especially from
Sweden. 500 visitors from Sweden were killed by tsunami on the island of
Phuket, this is nationality, which lost the largest number of its citizens after
those happenings. Then, Swedes started to return to the island in larger
numbers than the year before (Crampton 2005.).
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
8/13
[Type text]
7
Those facts and rapid changes of figures mean that people are really becoming
more attracted by disasters and it is clearly visible that the examples which are
described above are manifestations of disaster tourism. Consequently, it can be
assumed, that disaster tourism and any other kind of grief tourism can boost
tourism industry of particular country, place, region, if there happened events,
which led to mass death (Hospitality Times 2010.).
Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
Now there is a new disaster, which took place in Haiti. 230,000 casualties
counted by February 2010 (MSNBC 2010.). But this number is growing and
probably will reach 300,000 casualties (Rosenberg 2010.). A week later in late
January 2010 after the earthquake on Haiti cruise lines were full, continuously
bringing new tourists to Haiti, despite the tragic situation, which is faced by the
whole country. But for cruise industry it is business, another profitable source
of income.
Sixty miles away from the epicentre of earthquake luxury liners are leaving
thousands of new tourists which to Haiti for different purposes, some for
leisure on private beaches, but some for travelling to disaster site (MacDonald
2010.).
Several motivation determinants, such as morbid curiosity, pilgrimage,
contemplation, special interest, thrill/risk seeking, validation, authenticity,
which Dunkley (2006) suggests, could be applied to Haiti case. So there could
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
9/13
[Type text]
8
be people who came to Haiti to be in danger, because they like those feelings,
but some came to validate images presented by mass media. Religious
fundamentalists, like Laura Silsby, came there to take advantage of the others,
by preaching the necessity to understand what happened to Haitian people and
why "God or "Fate" abandoned those (Global Clashes 2010.). The case of Haiti
will be studied as it has happened with previous disaster destinations, so
special interest motivation could be the reason. We cannot exclude such
pathology as morbid curiosity it is a part of dark tourism motivation studies,
but there are such cases. Local people of Haiti yelled and thrown rocks in
tourists, who came there to make some photos or simply to assess the overall
situation (Information in Context 2010.).
According to Woman on The Road (2010) tour buses still are delivering tourists
to the Lower Ninth Ward (most suffered zone in New Orleans during the
storm), as to any other attraction. It may take some time, but it can be expected
that the same destiny awaits Haiti.
Conclusion
Finally, the conclusion could be made that dark tourism motivation is variable
and more academic studies have to be made to provide bigger picture of this
subject. The motivation is not single, the combination of reasons and other
factors can stimulate people to visit dark tourism destinations. Professor John
Lennon said once: It's about the dark side of human nature. It's in all of us, and
it fascinates us.
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
10/13
[Type text]
9
Assumingly, Haiti Island will be flooded with tourists in time, as it has been
happening to New Orleans after the Hurricane Katrina.
Recommendations
The motivation of dark tourism is still being researched, but as Dunkley (2006)
suggests, dark tourism is not a morbid fascination with death, and should not
be treated in that way, but shouldnt be excluded as well. The case of Haiti
should be studied, in order to foresee possible consequences and overall
development of situation. The policy of Haiti could be changed to extract profit
from the dark tourism. This would lead to faster economical recovery.
References
Crampton, T. 2005.After disaster, tourism's quick rally. [online] Available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/travel/13iht-travelers.html?_r=1
[Accessed on February 28 2010].
Dunkley, R. A. 2006. Thanatourism: A morbid Fascination with Death and
Depravity?[presentation] [online] University of Wales Institute, Cardiff October
7.Available from:
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Tb5ZNLbJRwQJ:pages.123-
reg.co.uk/pstone1-
995478/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/riadunkleypresentationTSeventlon
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
11/13
[Type text]
10
donoct2006.pdf+University+of+Wales+Institute.+Cardiff.+R.A.Dunkley%40uwi
c.ac.uk&hl=ru&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShPtI4BqeFeY75h9MhXCX3kIynK2U-
AmUGPq5swkP-MMkV2yspLscwyVbkBZd4--
icZTdmFog8GZC_fRyfjFoiRASfLKy4yDvIagXga7eNduRCpOBrig1i4jwI_lUkOIE3N
WpIk&sig=AHIEtbRNf9Ogw3ZhHlnNJgvP8FAetQm2_A [Accessed March 28
2010].
Fowler, R. 2006. The Roman Gladiator. [online] Available at:
http://ancienthistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_roman_gladiator [Accessed
on March 14 2010].
Global Clashes. 2010. The Crazies are in Haiti. [online] Available at:
http://www.globalclashes.com/2010/02/the-crazies-are-in-haiti.html
[Accessed on April 11 2010].
Hospitality Times. 2010. Dark Tourism. [online] Available at:
http://www.ehospitalitytimes.com/Info_514.aspx [Accessed on March 2 2010].
Information in Context. 2010. Disaster Tourism and Haiti. [online] Available at:
http://informationincontext.typepad.com/good_intentions_are_not_e/2010/02
/disaster-tourism-and-haiti.html [Accessed on March 14 2010].
MacDonald, C. 2010. Disaster Tourism. [online] Available at:
http://themarknews.com/articles/860-disaster-tourism [Accessed on March 2
2010].
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
12/13
[Type text]
11
MSNBC. 2010. Haiti raises earthquake death toll to 230,000. [online] Available
at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35319454/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/
[Accessed on March 14 2010].
Page, S. J. and Connel, J. 2009. Tourism a modern synthesis. 3rd ed. Hampshire:
Cengage Learning EMEA Cheriton House.
Redcross. 2010. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
[online] Available at:
http://www.redcross.org/museum/prepare_org/disabilities/bookletintro.htm
[Accessed on March 7 2010].
Rosenberg, M. 2010. Haiti death toll could reach 300,000: Preval. [online]
Available at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61L01P20100222 [Accessed on
March 14 2010].
Sharpley, R. and Stone, P. R. ed. 2009. The Darker Side of Travel: The Theory and
Practice of Dark Tourism. [online book] Channel View Publications. Available
from:
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZCIGvG9tCw8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=
dark+tourism&hl=ru&cd=3#v=onepage&q=&f=false [Accessed March 2 2010].
Soanes, C. 2006. Dark tourism, erotourism, familymoon. [online] Available at:
http://www.askoxford.com/worldofwords/bubblingunder/archive/bubbling_
12/?view=uk [Accessed on February 28 2010].
7/31/2019 Haiti as a Potential Disaster Tourism Destination
13/13
[Type text]
12
The Dark Tourism. 2010. Motivation of Tourists to Dark Spots. [online] Available
at:
http://www.darktourism.net/v1/?page_id=3 [Accessed on February 27 2010].
The Dark Tourism Forum. 2010. What is dark tourism?[online] Available at:
http://www.dark-tourism.org.uk/ [Accessed on March 4 2010].
Women on the Road. 2010. Dark Tourism: Where Tragedy Becomes a Tourist
Draw. [online] Available at: http://www.women-on-the-road.com/dark-
tourism.html [Accessed on February 26 2010].
Women on the Road. 2010. Disaster Tourism: Honest Altruism or
Vulgar Voyeurism?[online] Available at: http://www.women-on-the-
road.com/disaster-tourism.html [Accessed on February 26 2010].