The purpose of this study is to better understand how various factors shape the affective and cognitive attachment of tourists to dark tourism sites. The research examines how the characteristics of a site and the connections between cultural and personal dimensions influence place attachment in locations frequently marked by tragedy and remembrance.
The current study employs a grounded theory approach. We conducted 27 in-depth interviews with tourists at dark tourism destinations. We advance a conceptual framework to rigorously examine the determinants of place attachment in the context of dark tourism.
The study identifies five core categories driving place attachment in dark tourism: tourist loyalty, tourist relationship, tourist education, place image, tourist affection. These factors collectively illustrate how personal, social, and site-specific attributes foster deeper connections to dark tourism destinations.
The results provide practical recommendations for stakeholders, such as site managers and policymakers, to improve the engagement of visitors through approaches that tap emotional connection, educational content, and social interaction. The current study fills gaps across tourism management, psychology, and heritage studies and offers a model for future research on place attachment in dark tourism.
This study is among the first to apply grounded theory to explore place attachment in dark tourism in India, contributing to tourism literature. The study introduces a new model highlighting emotional, educational, relational, and cognitive factors rooted in culture, offering valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance for researchers and tourism professionals in dark tourism management.
