Natural disaster tourism unveiled: understanding the psychological dimensions of tourist experiences

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dark tourism research often overlooks the psychological differences between dark and non-dark tourists. Natural disaster tourism (NDT), a subset of dark tourism, follows the similar research model, neglecting the influence of tourist types on experiences. This paper proposes a definition of dark tourists and categorizes visitors to NDT into dark and non-dark tourists according to whether they have special tourism needs, offering a novel perspective on the psychological dimensions of disaster tourism experiences. By integrating cognitive and affective psychological insights, this paper contributes to the theoretical understanding of dark tourism and conducts a structured questionnaire survey in Beichuan County and Yingxiu Town, providing empirical evidence for the different impact of tourist types on experience dimensions. The findings, particularly the emphasis on sympathy as the predominant emotional experience and the relatively lower significance of the educational dimension, highlight the need for enhanced interpretive resources at NDT to deepen visitors' cognitive engagement. This paper's academic contribution is its quantitative approach to understanding the nuances of dark tourism experiences, complementing qualitative research. Practically, it offers strategic insights for the respectful and educational presentation of NDT, ensuring that they serve as meaningful sites for reflection and learning.