Abstract:

The considerations presented in the article refer to an important aspect of the development of a niche form of cultural tourism, namely dark tourism. Its development is based on the need for knowledge, combined with new and extreme experiences. This leads to the discovery of a new meaning in tourism, the individual and symbolic significance of choosing both the destination and the way of spending free time. Dark tourism, which involves visiting places associated with tragic events, disasters, and memorial sites, is a unique area of research within cultural tourism. This article discusses the theoretical foundations of this phenomenon and the controversies surrounding its development. It also presents forms of dark tourism with examples of their occurrence around the world and in Poland, analyzing their role in shaping historical and cultural awareness. The aim of this article is to present dark tourism as an important, albeit often controversial, element of contemporary tourism, with an emphasis on its educational and cultural potential in the context of niche forms of tourism.