Dark Tourism and Its Potential in Turkey

Abstract

As the appeal of sea-sun-sand tourism has begun to wane, travelers have started to turn their interest toward alternative tourism options. Dark tourism, which has a very specific appeal, has grown to become one of the most attractive alternative tourism options. Various motivations, including an interest in military history, the desire to commemorate an historical event or simply to be entertained, to name a few, tend to govern tourists. Dark tourism destinations sure to attract the dark tourist can be found in every country. Turkey happens to feature a plethora of dark tourism destinations, as the country has a rich historical background, full of painful historical events. In this chapter, the concept of dark tourism, types of dark tourism, and the motivations governing dark tourists have been examined. Detailed information is provided on the dark tourism potential of Turkey within the context of dark tourism destinations, such as the Sinop Prison Museum, Gallipoli, the Ulucanlar Prison Museum, and Anitkabir.