New Delhi: As Indian travellers explore new destinations, ‘dark tourism’ or travel to historical sites with a tragic past seems to be an emerging trend, according to ‘Thomas Cook India’.
With the world commemorating 18 years of September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, Wednesday, travel industry players feel that with increased security and global assurance over the years, such incidents are no longer a deterrent in planning trips around this time.
Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C) at travel portal ‘Yatra.com’ said Indians are becoming avid travellers who are constantly looking out for opportunities to travel.
Rajeev Kale, President and Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa at Thomas Cook (India) Ltd said that Indian travellers are pushing the boundaries when it comes to travelling.
“Our company has observed an emerging demand for ‘Dark Tourism’ or ‘Grief Tourism’ which seems to appeal to a select segment. In the past, historical sites and centres with a tragic past involving human tragedy like Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Auschwitz concentration camps, Poland and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Cambodia were part of tourists’ itineraries. However, with the recent web series, ‘Chernobyl’, more and more people are opting for visiting sites associated with tragedies.
According to Kale, social sharing and ‘instagrammable travel’ is clearly powering this new trend, especially among Indians.
“Over the years, with increased security and global assurance, the 9/11 attacks no longer act as a deterrent in planning trip around this period. At ‘Yatra.com’, we have seen normalcy in travel patterns to all overseas destination with business bookings happening as per schedule,” stated Dhall.
Daniel D’Souza, president and country head, Leisure at SOTC Travel said that with 9/11 commemorating 18 years and with peak travel season in India, it has observed 15 per cent demand for travel to the USA. “Most of the travellers have wanted to visit the ‘Ground Zero’ site,” informed D’Souza. “However some have opted for customised packages like ‘Highlights of USA’ and ‘Durga Pujo Shundor America’.
PTI
