Known as "risk travelers," more individuals are taking vacation time to visit dangerous locations, rather than seeking a more relaxing getaway.
According to the NY Post, traveling, intentionally, to dangerous areas is known as "dark tourism." Popular target locations for risk travelers include Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran. Notably, the State Department advises against traveling to such locations, for a variety of reasons. Regardless of the warnings, many folks have come to enjoy the thrill of such a journey away from home.
Eli Snyder is a man in his 20s who has come to enjoy dark tourism. Snyder says he pursues places that are "as dissimilar as possible" from how he grew up, in the Kansas City suburbs. Moreover, Snyder drove his point home saying he would rather visit Pyongyang, North Korea, than Winnipeg.
While many, like Snyder himself, are traveling to countries with political differences, some chase natural disasters. Rob DelliBovi, CEO of RDB Hospitality Group, noted that some travel towards hurricanes. Apparently, they seek the "thrill" of being on-location as the storm hits, and "making it out."
Snyder continues that dark tourism is often referred to as "thematic travel." Snyder made the point that while many travelers hope to "collect experiences," thematic travelers are hunting for those that are a bit more sinister. Likewise, the prominent CEO compared thematic travelers to those chasing one great meal in a new culture, as the foundations of the choice are the same. The difference lies in which side of the coin those travelers are coming from, on an emotional level.
Travelers Continue to Seek Out Dangerous Getaway Locations
Regardless of the "thrills" to be found via "dark tourism," it is still strongly pushed back upon. A senior director at FocusPoint, which is a company that specializes in critical event management, said that there is a good reason for any region to be designated as a "do not travel" area. Importantly, another director from FocusPoint stressed that the government "is not going to assist" a traveler in most cases. The responsibility lies solely with the citizens who decide to travel to areas that are identified as high-risk.
