Abstract
This chapter examines the historical development, examples, motivation, and attractions of battlefield tourism while also exploring its popularity and ethical controversies. By providing visitors with the opportunity to understand the devastating effects of war and the human suffering it causes, battlefield tourism serves as an important means for individuals to connect with the past and gain a deeper understanding of history. The chapter also offers recommendations for the future of battlefield tourism.
TopIntroduction
In the last century, in parallel with the rapid growth of the tourism sector and the number of wars and other military conflicts that took place from the beginning of the 1900s to the present, the interest in battlefield tourism has increased significantly. (Lee, 2016). World War I (WW I) is considered to be a turning point in the emergence of battlefield tourism (Dunkley, Morgan & Westwood, 2011; Pennell, 2018). Although there is evidence of organized travel to battlefields in the second half of the 1800s (Thomas Cook/Waterloo), visits to battlefields emerged on a larger scale after WW I (Lloyd, 1994). From WW I to the present day, battlefield tourism products have diversified dramatically and battlefields are the largest tourist attraction destinations in the world (Smith, 1996: 248). These tourist destinations include not only battlefields and their associated memorials and cemeteries, but also numerous monuments, museums and other structures and sites commemorating wars, battles and related events or brutalities.
Battlefield tourism creates more profound experiences than traditional tourist experiences (Upton, Schänzel & Lück, 2018). These destinations remind a nation or tribe of past national suffering or national pride. Hence, battlefields are of great importance for the construction of national identity. For example, for Australians, Gallipoli is the place where soldiers died and a nation was reborn, while Turks remember Gallipoli as the place where the Turkish army defeated the Western powers (Prideaux, 2007).
Battlefields have been an important source of income for many countries today (Gibson, Yai & Pratt, 2022). Particularly in countries where major wars such as WW I and World War II (WW II) took place, there are many touristic areas where the traces of war can be seen. (Chen & Sun, 2023; Kler & Forsythe, 2022; Foreman, 2022). However, the tourism of battlefields and their presentation as a touristic product raises ethical concerns (Sharma, 2022). Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to address the fundamental relationship between tourism and war in the context of battlefields and to explore the motives of this type of tourism based on examples of tourism to battlefields.
Battlefield tourism is considered a niche tourism type for tourists with a specific interest (Dunkley, Morgan & Westwood, 2011; Simith, 1998). This type of tourism is preferred by tourists who are interested in military history and strategy, as well as historical sites, monuments, and battlefields. Battlefield have significant tourism potential in many countries, and therefore, many countries consider battlefield as an important opportunity for tourism. For example, in the UK, many battlefields have been developed as tourism destinations in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I (Virgili et al., 2018).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Bushido: Bushido is a concept that defines the ethical and moral principles of the Japanese warrior class. The term, meaning “the way of the warrior,” emphasizes values such as honor, loyalty, courage, and self-discipline that were expected to be followed by Japanese warriors. The origins of Bushido can be traced back to the behavior of the samurai, the feudal warrior class of Japan. Traditionally, these principles were considered disciplined rules followed in every aspect of a samurai's life. Today, Bushido still holds a significant place in Japanese culture, continuing to influence areas such as modern Japanese discipline, work ethics, and sports.
D-Day: D-Day is the term used for the start of the Normandy Invasion on June 6, 1944 during WWII. Allied forces launched the operation to liberate France from Nazi occupation. It was a significant amphibious invasion that involved land, air, and naval forces and marked a turning point in the war.
Thana Tourism: According to Seaton (1996) , thanatourism is a tourism type that is derived from the Ancient Greek word “thanatos,” which means to personalize death, and is more specifically focused on violent deaths than dark tourism. It involves visiting sites related to natural disasters, wars, crimes against humanity, tragic events, and death in general. Thanatourism aims to educate tourists about past events, suffering, and tragedy, but it has also been subject to ethical and moral debates.
Dark Tourism: Dark tourism is a type of tourism that involves visiting places where significant but tragic historical and cultural events have occurred. It is popular for reasons such as understanding and remembering history, exploring cultural identity, and personal satisfaction.
Morbid Tourism: Blom (2000) defined morbid tourism as a form of tourism that involves visiting places where death events that affect a large number of people have occurred and places where the phenomenon of death is presented.