War Tourism: Exploring Conflict Zones and the Impact on Global Security

By Fouad Sabry

What is War Tourism

combat tourism is a sort of leisure travel that involves visiting active or former combat zones for the purpose of sightseeing or performing historical research. It is possible to use the term in a derogatory manner to refer to the pursuit of thrills in locations that are prohibited and unsafe. In the year 1988, P. J. O'Rourke used the derogatory term to refer to war correspondents or journalists.

How you will benefit

(I) Insights, and validations about the following topics:

Chapter 1: War tourism

Chapter 2: Tourism

Chapter 3: Tourist attraction

Chapter 4: Tourism in Poland

Chapter 5: Cheorwon County

Chapter 6: Tourism in Mexico

Chapter 7: Heritage tourism

Chapter 8: Tourism in the United Kingdom

Chapter 9: Dark tourism

Chapter 10: Tourism in Thailand

(II) Answering the public top questions about war tourism.

Who this book is for

Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of War Tourism.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable
• Release date: Jun 24, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1: War tourism

combat tourism is a sort of leisure travel that involves visiting active or former combat zones for the purpose of sightseeing or performing historical research. It is possible to use the term in a derogatory manner to refer to the pursuit of thrills in locations that are prohibited and unsafe. P. J. O'Rourke used the derogatory term to refer to war correspondents in the year 1988 on his website.

A number of people, including war painters and war correspondents like Willem van de Velde, are considered to be the first people to visit conflict zones. Van de Velde embarked on a voyage in 1653 aboard a little vessel in order to witness a naval conflict between the Dutch and the English. While he was at sea, he made numerous sketches on the scene.

Tourists escorted by Mark Twain visited the destroyed city of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. Twain even reprimanded his fellow travelers for taking souvenir shrapnel with them when they left the place. In order to observe the battle of Alma from a hill in the vicinity, Prince Menshikov extended an invitation to the ladies of Sevastopol. Despite the objections of commanders such as Lord Lucan, Fanny Duberly accompanied her husband on his trip to the Crimea in 1854 and remained by his side for his whole stay there. The fact that she was the only woman working at the front lines made her the focus of a lot of attention. She was informed in advance of the attacks that were going to be carried out, which provided her with the opportunity to be in a position to observe them.

The First Battle of Bull Run, often referred to as First Manassas (the name that was adopted by Confederate forces), took place on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, close to the city of Manassas. During the American Civil War, this was the first significant ground fight that took place. While the wealthy elite of nearby Washington, including lawmakers and their families, had gathered to picnic and watch the action, they were under the impression that the Union would easily emerge victorious. When the Union army was forced back in a state of wild disorder, the roads leading back to Washington were clogged by terrified residents who were attempting to leave in their carriages. One of the engravings that Frank Leslie created was titled The Soldier in Our Civil War, and it included this particular illustration. Francis Fremantle, Arthur Lyon.

Prior to the conclusion of the Second Boer War, Thomas Cook began marketing tours that would take individuals to the battlefields of the struggle. There were a number of other tourism agencies that advertised the battlefields of Tugela and Ladysmith, which were both rather accessible and very scenic. There were also groups of visitors who closely followed the Franco-Prussian War and visited the battlefields shortly after the fighting had ended. Alfred Milner, The Observer, and Punch all voiced their disagreement with the aforementioned.

In spite of the criticism, the tourism sector continued to flourish at the same rate as the tourism industry in general. As World conflict I was getting underway, it became abundantly clear that after the conflict was over, the battlefields that were associated with it would garner a significant amount of attention from people who were interested in traveling. During the Great War, there are documented cases of war tourism; but, due to hostility from the French authorities, these occurrences remained restricted.

Following the conclusion of World War II, areas that had previously served as battlegrounds became popular tourist sites. Other battlefields in the Pacific, like Saipan, became a destination of pilgrimage for Japanese veterans, who reburied and erected monuments to their fallen friends. Saipan was one of the battlefields that became a place of pilgrimage.

The concept that people are drawn to areas and locations where inhuman acts have taken place was investigated by Foley and Lennon. They assert that the motivation behind attraction visits is driven by media coverage and a desire to see for oneself, and that there is a mutually beneficial relationship between the attraction and the tourist, regardless of whether the attraction is a death camp or the location where a celebrity passed away.

Rick Sweeney, a former security specialist, established War Zone Tours in the year 2008, while Nicholas Wood, a former journalist for the New York Times, established another of the businesses that are currently working in this industry. Sweeney is a member of a team of tour guides that are responsible for escorting tourists to nations that have been involved in or are currently experiencing violence. It is possible that a tourist who visited Baghdad in 2010 paid as much as $40,000 for their trip. It was claimed in 2014 that war tourism was on the rise. In 2013, the Education Minister at the time, Hajibabayi, advocated that people who were killed while participating in these tours be awarded the status of martyr.

Dominic Cardy, a politician from Canada, came to Ukraine for a holiday in the year 2022.

Title: Exploring War Tourism: A Critical Examination in the Context of Military Science

Introduction:

War tourism, a phenomenon where individuals venture into active or former war zones for recreational purposes, presents a complex interplay between human curiosity, historical interest, and ethical considerations. In the realm of military science, the study of war tourism offers valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of conflicts, the impact of warfare on societies, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding such activities.

Understanding War Tourism:

At its core, war tourism encompasses a spectrum of motivations and behaviors. Some engage in it out of a genuine desire to understand history and witness the realities of conflict firsthand. For them, visiting war-torn regions provides an opportunity for somber reflection and a deeper appreciation of the human cost of war. Others, however, are drawn to war tourism for more sensationalistic reasons, seeking thrills or bragging rights associated with visiting dangerous and forbidden places.

From a military science perspective, war tourism raises important questions about the representation and interpretation of warfare. It highlights the tension between historical accuracy and the commodification of trauma. War-torn landscapes become tourist attractions, with guided tours and curated experiences often simplifying complex narratives for the sake of entertainment.

Ethical Considerations:

The ethical dimensions of war