Almost two million people visited the Auschwitz museum on the former concentration camp site in Poland last year. The United States island where the notorious Alcatraz prison once operated welcomes around 1.2 million visitors annually. Just under 15 million people took a trip to Hiroshima throughout 2025, the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing that devastated the city.
It is clear that travelling to places associated with death and tragedy, referred to as “dark tourism”, has widespread popularity. But the reasons behind parting with money to confront uncomfortable topics on holiday still mystify many.
