Of ghosts and ghouls: the lure of dark tourism

The siren call of the macabre is never far away at this time of year. Indeed, you only have to cast your senses just beyond the warm glow of smiling pumpkins and the cheery crowds of trick-or-treaters to find a deeper, darker realm. While some shrink from this cold void, others naturally embrace it, seeking places and spaces that offer a portal — a brief glimpse — into another world. But thanks to the phenomenon of dark tourism, every destination offers something that’s sure to thrill (or frighten) those for whom the supernatural holds sway.
 

The Siren Call Of Fear

Popularly understood to be the practice of visiting locations that are associated with death, tragedy, or suffering, dark tourism means different things to different people. As any quick Internet search will tell you, this is a phenomenon that is certainly not without its criticisms and controversies. We aren’t here to explore those, but we do want to give you our take on this seasonal trend.

For visitors, dark tourism offers the chance to see a destination in a different light: to be shocked, thrilled, and even afraid, often while exploring a place’s unique culture and history. For destinations, dark tourism is the chance to be and explore something completely different, plumbing the depths of time for angles that thrill, mesmerize, and tantalize.

Over the last few years, destinations across the world have actively begun to capitalize on the surging popularity — especially among Generation Z — of dark tourism. While recent research indicates that this subset of the market is set to reach $43.5bn by 2031, we at Simpleview have seen clients across the globe use dark tourism as a platform to appeal to visitors who crave a sensationally supernatural experience.
 

Seeking Out Europe’s Darkest Destinations

Among European destinations, Manchester is a place that truly makes the most of its darker side. Born out of the toil and grime of the Industrial Revolution, its deep association with the Gothic is apparent to visitors from the moment they arrive. Whether you’re a fan of the city’s intricate, High Victorian architecture, interested in its famous Goth clubs, or want to get a glimpse of local ghouls like the broken-hearted White Lady of Ordsall Hall, there’s something for everyone in Manchester, from the slightly spooky to the downright sinister.

Moving further afield, Norway isn’t a place that you normally associate with the supernatural, but Oslo’s Akershus Fortress — an imposing structure that has guarded the entrance to the city’s harbor for hundreds of years — is often named as one of the country’s most haunted spots. Visitors to the site — which was formerly an infamous prison — will find high walls, thick fortifications, dimly-lit tunnels, plenty of unsettling tales of torture, and woes from the past which only add to the unsettling atmosphere that now hangs over the site. Indeed, former guards testify to having heard whispers and scratching along now-empty corridors and — even worse — claim to have experienced the sensation of being pushed along by unseen hands.

But if we’re talking about dark tourism, we'd be remiss not to head to the island of Ireland; after all, the modern holiday of Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. In County Antrim — along the Bregagh Road between Armoy and Stranocum — you’ll find The Dark Hedges. According to local legend, these tall beeches are haunted by a spirit called the Grey Lady, who moves from tree to tree under the cover of darkness. According to various accounts, this singular ghost is either the spirit of James Stuart’s daughter or that of a maid who died while in service at the nearby Gracehill House. As if one ghost isn’t frightening enough, just know that on Halloween, she is joined by other local spirits from the nearby graveyard. Who knew trees could be so scary?
 

Chills And Thrills Across The Sea

Peeking through our fingers across the Atlantic, the city of New Orleans capitalizes on its unique history and blend of African, European, and Native American cultures to heighten the dreadly appeal of its darker past to visitors. Here, vampires, witches, dancing ghosts, and voodoo all share a kind of supernatural coexistence, ensuring that — no matter what you’re into — you’ll leave the city terrified and informed in equal measure. There are hauntings, sightings, and unexplained happenings all around, but if you want to make the most of your time here, head to the French Quarter. Whether you want to encounter the ghosts of spurned lovers, glimpse the spirit of a sprite-like child, or spot the spectral forms of guests murdered long ago at the Sultan’s Palace, you can do it in the Big Easy’s most famous neighborhood.

Over in the northern part of Texas, the city of Denton is well-known for its historic charm and for its thriving arts and music scene. But if you look carefully among all the buzzy venues and hip microbreweries, you’ll find plenty of haunted spots, especially around Denton Square. The 1877 Paschall Building has survived multiple fires over the years and — as is to be expected from a place with a past — has more than a fair few ghosts. If you’re quick to look, you might see faces peering down as you approach and once you’re inside, be sure to watch yourself on the stairs because unseen hands have been known to give visitors a push every now and then.

If you want to get a real thrill, head on over to the Historic Denton County Courthouse, which has been the site of quite a few deaths and murders over the last 150 years. Here, you might glimpse the ghost of a cowboy or spot a shadowy figure moving about the premises. And — according to those who’ve been down into the bowels of the building — there’s a dark presence that’s said to lurk in the courthouse’s holding cells.

In every place — in every space — there’s a realm that runs just parallel to ours. But no matter where they go, travelers around the globe can touch and even embrace this different world, all thanks to the phenomenon of dark tourism.