War: The new (in)normality and dark tourism

Abstract

In the introductory part of the paper, in the context of the new present, a brief overview of the direct impact of the war in Ukraine on tourism of both parties to the conflict is given, which once again empirically confirms that war is the antithesis of tourism and is capable of completely destroying it, as well as everything else that gets in its way. It also looks at some of the basic factors behind the slowdown and disruption of tourism development in the context of the general geopolitical situation and the global "clash of civilizations," as well as possible short-and long-term scenarios in Europe and the world. However, the focus of the analysis is not the war in Ukraine per se, but rather an attempt to test the provocative thesis that "war and tourism have certain similarities and interpenetrate each other." Indeed, if one thinks deeper and broader, beyond the usual theoretical frameworks and well-trodden empirical paths, certain analogies can be identified, as well as market niches for which war in particular is a key tourist attraction. With this in mind, the following arguments are analyzed in turn in support of this arguable thesis: mobility of tourists and soldiers; interruption of the usual path and rhythm of everyday life; intrusion of surprise, unpredictability and improvisation into life; "conquest" of new territories; war as total adventure; killing and destruction without end; fascination with foreign and own death; the heaviest form of dark tourist spectacle; motives of visitors, observers, and volunteers; morbid curiosity, madness, and pathological desire to kill; patriotic, masculine-erotic self-affirmation; and the intensity of danger in war zones.