Dark tourism acceptance and peacebuilding in troubled destinations

Abstract

Dark tourism represents an established area of research and has a world-leading academic center for dark tourism scholarship, research and teaching. Extended body of research proved that troubled destinations need to acknowledge their pasts. This acknowledgement is absolutely necessary for the construction of identity but also peacebuilding; while moving forward without talking about the past increases trauma within a destination. However, a debate still exists on how dark tourism places and spaces are interpreted. Reflecting on the timeline of historical past events, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot authorities have different representations of collective memories. This chapter discusses and debates how tourism can support peacebuilding activities through the acknowledgement of all dark sites within the island of Cyprus and include them in specialized tours, where the tourists personally can acknowledge the island’s dark and turbulent past. Acknowledgement rather than dismissiveness can pave the path towards peacebuilding.