Visitor Motivation and Social Benefits at Sites of Death : Dark Tourism in Vietnam

Dark tourism has become attractive to visitors as a new type of tourism. Tourists are increasingly interested not only in sightseeing, but also discovering and experiencing life at the destinations. Despite the extensive studies relating to the travel motivations of tourists, very little research have focused on the reasons why tourists choose to experience dark tourism, specifically Vietnam as a tourist's destination. Hence this research aims to examine the travel motivations of Dark Tourism in Vietnam. Questionnaires and in depth interviews focused on both international and local tourists visiting Vietnam's seven common Dark sites are conducted in order to achieve a better understanding of tourists' decisions in choosing Vietnam's Dark sites as their destinations. Research subjects were selected based on convenience sampling of tourists who have traveled to Vietnam historical sites. The local citizens were excluded in the study of motivating factors theme, but included in the social benefit study in order to have a clear understanding of the effects Dark tourism on local communities and the nation as a whole.