"Dark Tourism" and Chernobyl

 There are many places on earth that are not associated with positive events to put it mildly yet they attract many visitors every year.  There is a growing interest in what has been known as dark tourism which can include visits to slums, sites of natural disasters and extreme human suffering.  Personally, I have experienced some of these including the DMZ between South and North Korea and Auschwitz in Poland.  Both were extremely moving particularly the latter although I am not Jewish.

Chernobyl is a special place given its horrific past and now with the events in Japan.  I hope to make a visit Chernobyl this May to begin a tourism visitor study with one of our grad students.  What do you think of this?  Is it tourism?  Where does the "dark" side fit in?  Or, is it even "dark"?  UNESCO is interested in preserving and interpenetrating these sites before governments eliminate then because of their negative image.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110228-a-day-trip-to-chernobyl

Travel and Childrens' Experiences.

This article makes me crazy.  although I agree with the basic premise the idea that it somehow has to be an experience only the elite can enjoy is wrong.  Thoughts?

Airline Ethics

This article and one I will add later really hits on some important issues for the travel industry.  I'm sure there will be lively discussion so have at it!

Airline Ethics

Egyptian Tourism

Is Egyptian tourism really poised for a rebound?  Would seeing history unfold there be a strong enough motivation for you to visit?  Please read the short USA Today article and provide your comments.  In a few weeks we will discuss motives for travel and may come back to this article.

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2011/03/egypt-travel-discounts-oprah-/145132/1?loc=interstitialskip