Dark tourism and World Heritage Sites: a Delphi study of stakeholder perceptions of the development of dark tourism products

ABSTRACT

Dark tourism has attracted increasing academic attention, but the extent to which it exists as a separate form of tourism from heritage tourism is not yet clear. Despite the growth of UNESCO World Heritage Site designations, little research has considered the relationship between dark tourism and World Heritage Sites. Because the development of dark tourism is beset with ethical concerns, heritage professionals can have negative perceptions about the acceptability or attractiveness of it for the sites that they are involved in managing. This research used a qualitative Delphi Panel method to evaluate stakeholder perceptions of the potential development of dark tourism to the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site in London, United Kingdom. The findings show that stakeholders are broadly supportive of tourism to the site and positive about future tourism growth. Despite this, they did not support the development of dark tourism to the site because it was perceived as inauthentic, tacky and sensationalist. In order to address this issue, recommendations are made that future attempts to develop dark tourism at WHS should involve enhancing the knowledge of stakeholders about dark tourism, and of the resources within their sites that could be included in a dark tourism offer to tourists.

KEYWORDS:

• Dark tourism
• heritage
• World Heritage Site
• London
• stakeholders

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James Kennell

James Kennell is Deputy Head of the Department of Marketing, Events and Tourism at the University of Greenwich. He is also the Executive Director of the London Office of the International Tourism Studies Association and a Fellow of the Tourism Society. James carries out research into the public policy and political economy aspects of tourism, as well as into cultural and other non-corporate events in terms of their wider social and economic impacts. He has published a number of articles, book chapters and other papers on these topics.

Raymond Powell

Ray Powell is a Principal Lecturer in Tourism in the Department of Marketing, Events and Tourism at the University of Greenwich. His academic interests currently centre on dark and heritage tourism, and especially the links between the two. Ray is currently fully engaged in teaching and research at all levels, with particular research interests in cultural tourism and heritage; dark tourism; museums; aspects of entrepreneurship and employability. Ray has been a teacher, in various guises, for over 30 years.