administrative

sciences

Systematic Review
A Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review of Dark
Tourism: Trends, Impact, and Prospects
Jorge Alexander Mora Forero 1 , Alvelayis Nieto Mejia 1 and Ana León-Gómez 2, *

1 Hotel and Tourism Programme, Universitaria Agustiniana—UNIAGUSTINIANA, Bogotá 110831, Colombia;

[email protected] (J.A.M.F.); [email protected] (A.N.M.)
2 Department of Accounting and Management, University of Málaga, 29013 Málaga, Spain
* Correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract: The main objective of this bibliometric review is to analyse and synthesise the evolution
of the field of black tourism through an extensive analysis of the scientific literature. To this end,
the article carries out a bibliometric analysis and systematic review that will provide information
on the most studied topics, the most influential authors and publications, and the areas that require
further research. The findings and conclusions of this study represent a valuable contribution to the
literature on dark tourism by providing an intrinsic and comprehensive analysis of the field’s current
state. The analysis provides a better understanding of the theoretical and conceptual framework of
the articles published to date, which is essential to lay the groundwork for future research and enrich
the academic debate on dark tourism.

Keywords: dark tourism; thanatotourism; systematic review; bibliometric analysis; PRISMA

1. Introduction
The interest of academia in studying dark tourism is an axis that has been increasing
in recent years (Lv et al. 2022b). In recent decades, many empirical studies in the field of
tourism have shown a great interest in the study of tourist destinations whose cultural
heritage is related to the dark events of the past (Magee and Gilmore 2015; Sun and Lv
Citation: Mora Forero, Jorge 2021). Most of these studies have aimed to analyse tourists’ awareness of their involvement
Alexander, Alvelayis Nieto Mejia, in dark tourism and their propensity to visit places with tragic histories (Juranović et al.
and Ana León-Gómez. 2023. A
2021). It is because an increasing number of destinations are visited by people who want to
Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic
know details of natural disasters, war events, political massacres, and other representations
Review of Dark Tourism: Trends,
of tragic deaths (Cohen 2011; Mora Forero et al. 2022a). Examples are the concentration
Impact, and Prospects. Administrative
camps in Auschwitz, Poland, as well as Chernobyl, Hiroshima, Alcatraz, and the National
Sciences 13: 238. https://doi.org/
Memorial in New York. Even the interest in these places transcends to those devastated
10.3390/admsci13110238
by nature, such as Pompeii, Italy, one of Earth’s most visited archaeological destinations
Received: 21 August 2023 (Mangwane et al. 2019; Xie and Sun 2018). These places that once had human misfortunes
Revised: 15 October 2023 are nowadays established as destinations of interest to visit (Iliev 2021; Wyatt et al. 2022).
Accepted: 19 October 2023 The theoretical framework of dark tourism is an area of research that explores the
Published: 7 November 2023
motivations, experiences, and ethical considerations related to visiting sites associated with
death and tragedy (Mora Forero et al. 2022b). Dark tourism, also known as thanatotourism,
is often associated with grim geographical locations, such as prisons, crime scenes, or
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
scenes associated with any kind of massacre (Seraphin and Korstanje 2021). These places
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. are continually associated with a dark tale of cruelty, evil, or disaster that attracts many
This article is an open access article tourists (Sharpley and Wright 2018). In this context, dark tourism describes a form of
distributed under the terms and tourism that focuses on visiting places and sites related to tragic, macabre, or grim historical
conditions of the Creative Commons events, such as natural disasters, human tragedies, crimes, genocides, or places of death,
Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// such as concentration camps and cemeteries (Mora Forero et al. 2022b; Cohen 2018).
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ However, this type of tourism raises moral questions related to the commercialisation
4.0/). of death and disaster (Garcia 2012). In this context, the moral issues of tourists are classified

Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13110238 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/admsci

Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 2 of 21

as critical, tolerant, supportive, and sympathetic, depending on their orientations towards

the past or present and their appreciation of dark places (Chen and Xu 2021). On the other
hand, emotional engagement also plays a vital role in dark tourism experiences (Sigala and
Steriopoulos 2021). Emotional engagement has been proposed as an explanatory concept in
a typological framework for dark tourism experiences (Israfilova and Khoo-Lattimore 2019).
The intensity and type of emotions provoked during the dark tourism experience contribute
to visitors’ understanding and interpretation of sites (Sigala and Steriopoulos 2021).
In general, dark tourism offers visitors the opportunity to interact with historical
events and places that have provided a unique perspective on the past and its impact on
the present (Lushchyk and Mamchur 2022). Thus, the study of dark tourism is framed
within behavioural and interpretive perspectives, evolving as new definitions, conceptual
frameworks, and theories that emerge (Lynes and Wragg 2023). In this way, dark tourism
has gained attention in recent years, with academic studies exploring its definitions, impacts,
and subcategories (Kleshcheva 2021; Zheng et al. 2020), such as Holocaust tourism and
slavery heritage tourism (Miles 2015).
Some notable examples of places where dark tourism activities are carried out are the
following:
1. European Cemeteries Route: This route includes a large number of cemeteries in
various European locations, and Spain is one of the leading countries in this type of
tourism (Carrasco-Santos and Padilla-Meléndez 2016).
2. Dark tourism sites in Malaysia: Although not globally recognised yet, Malaysia has
many dark tourism sites that offer unique experiences for visitors (Jamin et al. 2020).
3. Chornobyl: The site of the nuclear disaster in Ukraine is a well-known dark tourism
destination (Proos and Hattingh 2022).
4. The 9/11 Memorial: The memorial in New York City commemorating the September
11th terrorist attacks is another example of a dark tourism site (Proos and Hattingh 2022).
5. Auschwitz concentration camp: This former Nazi concentration camp in Poland is
visited by tourists seeking to learn about the Holocaust (Proos and Hattingh 2022).
6. Battlefields of World War I and II: These historical sites, such as the Somme in France
or Normandy in France, attract visitors interested in the history and impact of these
wars (Proos and Hattingh 2022).
7. Kelud Mountain: Located in Kediri Regency, Indonesia, Kelud Mountain is an active
volcano that has become a dark tourism destination after its eruption. Visitors are
attracted to the crater of the mountain (Sari et al. 2020).
Dark tourism has become increasingly important in recent years because of its poten-
tial to generate income and promote historical remembrance (Gibson et al. 2022). Many
countries have recognised the importance of black tourism and started promoting it as a
tourism activity (Lee and Newpaney 2017). Thus, the popularity of dark tourism continues
to grow and is likely to remain an essential aspect of the tourism industry in the future
(Mora Forero et al. 2022b). As a result, dark tourism has attracted increasing interest from
the academic community and research experts. In order to properly understand the current
state of this field, it is of great interest to analyse and synthesise the academic production
of literature published so far. For this reason, this research aims to carry out a bibliometric
and systematic review that answers the following research questions:
1. How has the number of articles published on dark tourism evolved?
2. What are the field’s most influential journals, articles, authors, and geographical
regions?
3. What future lines of research exist in the field of dark tourism?
We will conduct a bibliometric analysis and systematic review by analysing the existing
literature to answer these research questions. It will allow us to obtain information on the
most frequently studied topics, the most influential authors and publications, and the areas
requiring further research. This information will enable us to draw conclusions identifying
research trends and gaps in the field.
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 3 of 21

This study contributes to the literature by conducting an intrinsic analysis of the cur-
rent state of dark tourism, which can aid researchers and professionals in the tourism sector
by providing them with an overview of the epistemological structure of the field. It will
provide them with a knowledge base of the subject area, enabling a better understanding
of the theoretical framework of the articles published thus far. In addition, this research
identifies patterns, trends, and gaps in research. It can help researchers interested in the
field identify emerging trends and new areas of research, which can help keep the field of
dark tourism relevant and up-to-date.
This paper is divided into five sections. Section 2 outlines the research methods utilised,
while Section 3 provides the results obtained. In Section 4, a knowledge framework is
presented, detailing the various dimensions and aspects of research in this field. Finally,
Section 5 concludes the paper with a summary of conclusions and findings.

2. Methods
This study uses two approaches, based on a bibliometric analysis and a systematic
review:
First, we conducted a bibliometric analysis, combining different methods to analyse
a body of research (Santos-Jaén et al. 2021; León-Gómez and Mora Forero 2022). These
methods rely on descriptive publication data on authors, journals, institutions, geographical
regions, keywords, and citations to generate networked knowledge maps within a research
field to identify research topics and future research directions (Zhang et al. 2022). Thus,
using different techniques and indicators, bibliometric analysis allows us to classify data
and make representative summaries (Li et al. 2020). It will allow us to understand the
theoretical architecture of the published literature and identify significant studies (León-
Gómez et al. 2021).
Secondly, a systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA 2020 protocol.
PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) is a widely
recognised guide for conducting and reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses
(López-Rodríguez et al. 2022). To this end, this method includes a flowchart describing the
process of carrying out the bibliometric analysis performed (Khin Khin Oo and Rakthin
2022). Thus, this methodology helps researchers to describe bibliographic data, including
the total number of publications, citation counts, and other bibliometric indices (Page
et al. 2021). In conclusion, the PRISMA method contributes to ensuring that the study is
conducted in a transparent, reproducible, and high-quality manner, and that the conclusions
are written clearly and concisely (Dandil et al. 2020; Alarcón-Aldana et al. 2020; Ahmed
2020; Desprez et al. 2020).
Regarding the data collection and evaluation process for the construction of the
database, we first defined the following search criteria to identify the most relevant docu-
ments: “Dark Tourism” or “Black Tourism” or “Thanatourism”. The results obtained are shown
in Table 1.

Table 1. Publications listed in the database.

Database Records Articles Book Chapter Book Other

Scopus 452 274 109 21 48
Web of Science 353 324 0 7 22
Total 805 598 109 28 70
Source: own elaboration.

We obtained 452 documents in Scopus and 353 in Web of Science, providing 805 documents,
as shown in Table 1. However, to ensure the integrity and coherence of the bibliometric
analysis, we formulated the inclusion and exclusion criteria outlined in Table 2. These
criteria serve as the entry and exit points of the database, ensuring that only pertinent
documents are considered in the analysis. By establishing clear and specific criteria, the
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 4 of 21

inclusion of unrelated or low-quality research is avoided, thereby enhancing the validity

and reliability of the results.

Table 2. Inclusion and exclusion criteria of the bibliometric analysis.

Inclusion Criteria Exclusion Criteria

Studies developed between 2018 and 2022 Publications before 2018
Studies associated with the development of
Tourism studies not related to dark tourism
dark tourism
Documents related to the topic of dark tourism,
tourist experience, imaginaries, death, Tourism studies not related to dark tourism
and tragedy
Publications that are developed in the field of
Duplicate documents in the database
dark tourism
Empirical, scientific, and theoretical Studies where dark tourism is not the main
study papers focus of the research
Source: own elaboration.

After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria detailed in Table 2, 173 articles
were selected for the bibliometric analysis. These articles were used as the sample for this
analysis.
On the other hand, we decided to apply more exhaustive exclusion criteria to conduct
the systematic review. These criteria are represented through a PRISMA flowchart, as
shown in Figure 1. The decision to apply these stricter criteria was based on the nature of
the systematic review, which requires thorough collection, evaluation, and synthesis of all
available scientific evidence. The use of more stringent exclusion criteria is justified by the
need to maintain high methodological quality, relevance, and reliability
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 23 standards in the
studies included in the review.

Figure 1. 1.
Figure Flowchart PRISMA
Flowchart by levels. by
PRISMA Source: own elaboration.
levels. Source: own elaboration.
After applying the criteria defined in Figure 1, 15 articles were identified that met the
requirements to be included in this systematic review. This carefully selected number of
studies provided a solid and reliable foundation for conducting a thorough analysis. The
meticulous choice of these articles allowed for a more precise and comprehensive review
of the subject matter, which, in turn, facilitated the formulation of solid and dependable
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 5 of 21

After applying the criteria defined in Figure 1, 15 articles were identified that met
the requirements to be included in this systematic review. This carefully selected number
of studies provided a solid and reliable foundation for conducting a thorough analy-
sis. The meticulous choice of these articles allowed for a more precise and comprehen-
sive review of the subject matter, which, in turn, facilitated the formulation of solid and
dependable conclusions.
Finally, the acquired data were exported to an Excel file, serving as the foundational
database for this research. The database was partitioned into two sections: the first,
designated for bibliometric analysis, consisted of 173 articles, while the second included
15 articles specifically chosen to conduct the systematic review.

3. Results
3.1. Bibliometric Analysis
Firstly, this study aimed to analyse the productivity and scientific impact of the articles
published in the field of research analysed. For this purpose, we used Lotka’s Law. Lotka’s
Law is widely used in bibliometric studies to analyse the productivity and impact of
researchers in a given area of knowledge. It is a valuable tool in bibliometrics to understand
the distribution of scientific productivity, identify leaders in the field, and assess the impact
of research in a specific discipline.
The data in Table 3 show the scientific production written by a specific number of
authors and the percentage that these authors represent in the total. In the first dataset are
1157 papers written by a single author. It represents 1.702% of the total scientific production
in the study. In the second dataset, there are 126 papers written by two authors. Here,
we see that a small percentage of documents (only 0.187% of the total) have precisely two
authors. In summary, these data follow the typical pattern of Lotka’s Law, where a few
authors write most papers, while many authors contribute only a small number of papers.
The distribution of scientific production is uneven, where the vast majority of papers
are produced by authors with high scientific production (single or few authors), while a
minority of papers involve the collaboration of a more significant number of authors. It
reinforces the idea that scientific production follows an extended tail distribution, where a
few researchers significantly impact the field, while many others have a minor impact.

Table 3. Lotka’s coefficient.

Articles Number of Authors Ratio of Authors

1 1.157 1.702
2 126 0.187
3 40 0.036
4 23 0.035
5 5 0.008
6 3 0.004
7 1 0.001
Source: own elaboration.

Calculating the number of authors is critical to understanding authorship patterns

and collaborative research. Analysing the number of authors in academic publications
helps to understand if the research field is becoming a team effort or if solitary authorship
still prevails. This information is valuable for funding institutions and agencies, as they
can identify prolific authors and research collaborations, allowing them to encourage
collaborative initiatives (León-Gómez et al. 2023). In addition, this information can also be
of great help to emerging researchers, since being part of articles with established authors
can be crucial for their visibility and recognition in the academic community (León-Gómez
et al. 2021). In conclusion, authorship trend analysis provides valuable insights for various
stakeholders in the academic and research communities.
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 6 of 21

On the other hand, calculating the number of authors is important to understand their
influence on citation analysis (López-Rodríguez et al. 2022). Articles with more authors
may attract more citations because of the broader network of researchers promoting the
work, which affects the impact of citations and the visibility of the research (Santos-Jaén
et al. 2021).
Compared to other sectors, analysing the number of authors in the tourism sector
provides valuable knowledge and significant benefits. First, tourism is a global industry
that encourages international collaboration between researchers from different countries
(Alaminos et al. 2020). This analysis reveals global trends, highlighting regions and coun-
tries active in tourism research (Ruiz-Palomo et al. 2020). Secondly, the interdisciplinary
nature of tourism research, covering fields such as hospitality management, cultural stud-
ies, and environmental science, is evidenced through collaboration between authors from
various disciplines (Mármol Andreu et al. 2022). This interdisciplinary collaboration is
essential to develop comprehensive approaches that address the complex challenges of
tourism (López-Rodríguez et al. 2022). Finally, the analysis of the number of authors in
tourism reveals how experts in geography, economics, sociology, and environmental stud-
ies collaborate, thus enriching our understanding of tourism phenomena (Alaminos et al.
2020). These analyses illuminate the dynamics of collaboration and guide the future devel-
opment of tourism research, promoting a more profound and holistic understanding of this
multifaceted industry (Ruiz-Palomo et al. 2020; Mármol Andreu et al. 2022; Santos-Jaén
et al. 2022).
Below, we analyse the annual scientific production. Table 4 shows the evolution
of articles published from 2018 to 2022. The analysis of this table reveals a variation in
scientific production over the years. In 2018, a total of 173 articles were published. The
following year, the number of articles decreased significantly to 94, possibly due to various
reasons, such as the subject matter of the research, available funding, or trends in scientific
publishing at that time. In 2020, despite being the pandemic year, articles increased to 103.
This could be due to the large amount of COVID-19 research and the urgency to share
knowledge. The effects of the pandemic caused the trend to continue until the following
year, when the trend remained stable at 104 articles. The stabilisation in these two pandemic
years resulted in consolidating research areas related to COVID-19 and black tourism. From
2022 onwards, there was an increasing trend in the number of articles, which could suggest
increased research activity from that year ahead or the publication of studies that had been
ongoing during the pandemic.

Table 4. Annual scientific production.

Year Articles
2018 173
2019 94
2020 103
2021 104
2022 256
Source: own elaboration.

On the other hand, we analysed in the Figure 2 the most relevant authors in the field
of dark tourism. Analysing the most relevant authors in a bibliometric analysis is essential
to understand the dynamics of research in a specific field. It provides valuable information
on research quality, emerging trends, influence in the academic community, and potential
collaborations, which benefits individual researchers as well as institutions and funding
agencies. The list of annual scientific output with the highest number of citations can be
seen in the figure below, which is headed by Wang. J. and Zhang Y., containing 36 citations
with the 10 most-relevant authors being named. These authors present articles with research
on a novel topic of dark tourism.
 to understand the dynamics of research in a specific field. It provides valuable informa
on research quality, emerging trends, influence in the academic community, and pote
collaborations, which benefits individual researchers as well as institutions and fun
agencies. The list of annual scientific output with the highest number of citations ca
seen in the figure below, which is headed by Wang. J. and Zhang Y., containing 36 cita
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 7 of 21
with the 10 most-relevant authors being named. These authors present articles wit
search on a novel topic of dark tourism.

Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 23

Figure 2.
Figure 2. Most relevant Most relevant
authors. Source:authors.
own elaboration.
Source: own elaboration.

In
In Figure
Figure 3,
3, the
the analysis
analysis of of relevant
relevant sources
sources reveals that The Journal of Heritage Tourism
reveals that Tourism
has
has the highest impact, with 31 articles, followed
impact, with 31 articles, followed by Current by Current Issues
Issues in in Tourism,
Tourism, withwith
21
21 articles,
articles, positioning
positioning itself
itself as the
as the second-most-relevant
second-most-relevant journal
journal in Scopus
in Scopus andand
WebWeb of
of Sci-
Science in the
ence in the systematic
systematic review
review of dark
of dark tourism
tourism and thanatotourism.
and thanatotourism. The International
The International Journal
Journal of Tourism
of Tourism Cities comes
Cities comes in third,
in third, with awith
totala of
total
16 of 16 articles,
articles, whilewhile Tourism
Tourism Geographies
Geographies has
has 13 articles. However, the impact of Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism
13 articles. However, the impact of Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management, Teoria Management,
Teoria y Praxis,
y Praxis, The Journal
The Journal of Travelof Research,
Travel Research,
Tourism Tourism Management
Management Perspectives,
Perspectives, and Tourism
and Tourism Review
Review is less than 10 articles in the time window
is less than 10 articles in the time window analysed. analysed.

10 9
8
Number of documents

8 7
6 6 6 6
6 5 5
4.2
3.3
4 2.4 2.6 2.3 1.9 2.1
1.5
2 0.8

0
Wang Y Zhang J Girard T Okumus F Pinar M Sharma R Wang H Baena V Berchialla
P
Authors

Documents Documents fractionalized

Figure 3.
Figure 3. Most
Most relevant
relevant sources.
sources. Source: ownelaboration.
Source: own elaboration.

The
The Table
Table 55 shows
shows several
several articles
articles on
on dark
dark tourism
tourism that
that have
have received
received aa significant
significant
number
number of citations, indicating that these papers have been widely recognised
of citations, indicating that these papers have been widely recognised and and refer-
refer-
enced
enced in the academic community. The theme with the most citations overall is (Martini
in the academic community. The theme with the most citations overall is (Martini
and
and Buda
Buda 2020),
2020), entitled
entitled “Dark
“Dark tourism
tourism and
and affection:
affection: framing
framing sites
sites of
of death and disaster”,
death and disaster”,
published
published in in 2020,
2020, with
with 47
47 citations.
citations. The
The year
year 2018
2018 emerged
emerged as as aa crucial
crucial turning
turning point
point inin
dark tourism research, and its importance cannot be underestimated.
dark tourism research, and its importance cannot be underestimated. Most of the articlesMost of the articles
with
withthethemost
mostcitations
citationsininthis
thisbibliometric
bibliometric analysis, representing
analysis, representingthetheleading research
leading in the
research in
field, were published that year. These significant contributions reveal the
the field, were published that year. These significant contributions reveal the growing in- growing interest
and attention
terest that dark
and attention thattourism has attracted
dark tourism amongamong
has attracted academics and theand
academics global
the community.
global com-
The
munity. The year 2018 marks a period in which dark tourism studies matureddiversified,
year 2018 marks a period in which dark tourism studies matured and and diver-
providing valuable insights into visitor motivations, local community
sified, providing valuable insights into visitor motivations, local community perceptions, perceptions, and
experiences
and experiences in dark destinations.
in dark destinations.ThisThis
concentration
concentrationof outstanding
of outstanding research
researchin ainsingle
a sin-
gle year reflects the urgent need to explore better and understand this evolving phenom-
enon, and its impact on contemporary society and culture.

Table 5. Top 10 most-cited documents.

Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 8 of 21

year reflects the urgent need to explore better and understand this evolving phenomenon,
and its impact on contemporary society and culture.

Table 5. Top 10 most-cited documents.

Reference Authors Journal Document Title Year Cites

Dark Tourism and Affect:
Martini, A. Current Issues in
(Martini and Buda 2020) Framing Places of Death 2020 47
Buda, D.M. Tourism
and Disaster
Local community
Wright, D. Current Issues in perceptions of disaster
(Wright and Sharpley 2018) 2018 45
Sharpley, R. Tourism tourism: the case of
L’Aquila, Italy
‘It’s not that we like death or
anything’: exploring the
Ivanova, P. The Journal of
(Ivanova and Light 2018) motivations and experiences 2018 40
Light, D. Heritage Tourism
of visitors to a lighter dark
tourism attraction
Post-disaster tourism:
Lin, Y. building resilience through
The Journal of
(Lin et al. 2018) Kelemen, M. community-led approaches 2018 35
Sustainable Tourism
Tresidder, R. in the aftermath of the
2011 disasters in Japan
Boateng, H. Tourism Dark tourism: Exploring
(Boateng et al. 2018) Okoe, A.F. Management tourist’s experience at the 2018 32
Hinson, R.E. Perspectives Cape Coast Castle, Ghana
Zheng, C.
The inner struggle of
Zhang, J.
visiting ‘dark tourism’ sites:
Qian, L. Current Issues in
(Zheng et al. 2018) examining the relationship 2018 32
Jurowski, C. Tourism
between perceived
Zhang, H.
constraints and motivations
Yan, B.
International What drives supportive
Wu, H.C.
(Wu and Cheng 2018) Journal of Tourism intentions towards a dark 2018 29
Cheng, C.C.
Research tourism site?
Podoshen, J.S.
Yan, G.
Tourism Dark tourism, abjection and
(Podoshen et al. 2018) Andrzejewski, S.A. 2018 23
Management blood: A festival context
Wallin, J.
Venkatesh, V.
Hartmann, R.
Lennon, J.
Reynolds, D.P. The Journal of
(Hartmann et al. 2018) The history of dark tourism 2018 19
Rice, A. Tourism History
Rosenbaum, A.T.
Stone, P.R.
Experiences of visitors to
International Gallipoli, a
(Çakar 2018) Çakar, K. Journal of Tourism nostalgia-themed dark 2018 19
Cities tourism destination: an
insight from TripAdvisor
Source: own elaboration.

Conceptual structure maps in bibliometrics are a valuable tool for understanding the
organisation and evolution of research in a specific area (León-Gómez and Mora Forero
2022). They provide an overview of the relationships between concepts, help to identify
trends and areas of interest, and facilitate informed decision-making (López-Rodríguez
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 9 of 21

et al. 2022). Their use can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of research and provide
valuable information for science policymakers, academic institutions, and the scientific
community (León-Gómez et al. 2021). According to the conceptual structure map, the
distribution of the dots along the dimensions and their relative positions are used to
evaluate the results; thus, the words are distributed similarly according to the proximity
of the dots to each other (Santos-Jaén et al. 2021; León-Gómez et al. 2023). By visually
representing the contextual structure of each sentence and tracing their links, it was possible
to create a map of the conceptual structure of the language used to talk about dark tourism
and thanatotourism with a cause in the academic literature.
In Figure 4, a conceptual structure map has been created that visualises the critical
relationships between the most representative terms in dark tourism across the 173 articles
that make up the basis of the bibliometric analysis. The blue cluster represents psychology,
humanity, cognition, and theoretical studies. The red cluster in this bibliometric review re-
veals itself to be a highly diverse and comprehensive set, comprising twenty-three elements
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW
that approach the fascinating phenomenon of dark tourism from various perspectives. 10 of 23
Firstly, it analyses tourist behaviour, examining concepts such as travel behaviour, tourist
behaviour, perception or public attitude, among others, to better understand the motiva-
tions
delvesand decisions
into tourism that drive travellers
management, to dark
exploring destinations.
crucial areas suchInasaddition, it delves into
tourism management,
tourism management, exploring crucial areas such as tourism management,
tourism market, tourism economics, cultural heritage, and tourist attractions tourism mar-
to unravel
ket, tourism economics, cultural heritage, and tourist attractions to unravel
the commercial and economic dynamics associated with dark tourism. From a geograph- the commercial
and
ical economic dynamics
perspective, it focusesassociated with dark
on two nations of tourism. From ain
great relevance geographical
this context:perspective,
China and
itJapan.
focuses on two
Finally, nations
it also of greatthe
considers relevance in this context:
methodological techniquesChina
usedandinJapan. Finally,
researching it
this
also considers the methodological techniques used in researching this topic,
topic, such as factor analysis, bibliometric review, literature review, and surveys, among such as factor
analysis, bibliometricthe
others, highlighting review, literature
diversity review, and
of approaches that surveys,
enrich our among others, highlighting
understanding of this con-
the
stantly evolving phenomenon. This map provides an overview of the interactionevolving
diversity of approaches that enrich our understanding of this constantly between
phenomenon.
psychology and This map
dark provides
tourism, an overview
highlighting of the interaction
emerging themes and between
relevantpsychology and
research areas
dark tourism, highlighting emerging themes and relevant
for future studies in this exciting multidisciplinary research area. research areas for future studies
in this exciting multidisciplinary research area.

Figure 4.
Figure 4. Map
Map of
of the
the conceptual
conceptual structure
structureof
ofdark
darktourism
tourismand
andthanatotourism
thanatotourismrelationships.
relationships.Source:
Source:
Bibliometrix.
Bibliometrix.

In organising
In organising the
the black
black tourism
tourism research
research field,
field, the
the importance
importance of of thematic
thematic mapping
mapping
should be
should be emphasised.
emphasised. ItItisisbecause,
because,ininbibliometrics,
bibliometrics, a thematic
a thematicmapmap is essential
is essentialto un-
to
derstand thethe
understand organisation andand
organisation evolution
evolutionof knowledge
of knowledge in a in
specific research
a specific field.field.
research It facil-
It
itates the identification of relevant topics, emerging areas, and research opportunities,
facilitates the identification of relevant topics, emerging areas, and research opportunities, as
well
as as effective
well decision-making
as effective decision-making andandcommunication
communication of scientific results.
of scientific Its use
results. Itsinuse
bibli-
in
ometrics provides
bibliometrics a comprehensive
provides a comprehensive andand
valuable overview
valuable overviewfor for
researchers,
researchers, academic
academic in-
stitutions, and
institutions, andfunding
fundingagencies
agenciesininthe
theanalysis
analysisand
anddevelopment
developmentofofscientific
scientificresearch.
research.
Figure 5 presents a thematic map, which, due to the inherent structure of its compo-
nents, can be divided into four distinct and revealing phases. The first phase is related to
Tourism Development and Specialisation, and focuses on the tourism industry and spe-
cific destinations, such as the UK and Northern Ireland. The second phase is a Deep Un-
derstanding of Tourism phase, comprising a wide range of areas that we can identify in
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 10 of 21

Figure 5 presents a thematic map, which, due to the inherent structure of its compo-
nents, can be divided into four distinct and revealing phases. The first phase is related
to Tourism Development and Specialisation, and focuses on the tourism industry and
specific destinations, such as the UK and Northern Ireland. The second phase is a Deep
Understanding of Tourism phase, comprising a wide range of areas that we can identify
in three main axes. The first relates to environmental protection, the second to humanity,
education, and emotions, and the final axis covers issues related to traveller behaviour itself.
The third development phase highlights emerging issues of great importance, such as ethics,
ecotourism, and climate change concerns, as well as risk assessment and risk perception in
tourism. Finally, the fourth phase encompasses elements related to Tourism Innovation
and Evolution. This phase highlights the importance of exploring new dimensions of
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW
tourism related to emerging technologies, while observing the continuous development 11 of 23
and transformation of the tourism industry and destinations.

Figure 5.
Figure 5. Thematic
Thematic map.
map. Source:
Source: Bibliometrix.
Bibliometrix.

In
In the following,
following, wewepropose
proposetotoconduct
conducta long-term
a long-term word-frequency
word-frequency analysis
analysis to
to ex-
examine
amine thethe evolution
evolution andand impact
impact of critical
of critical terms
terms overover
timetime
in theinspecific
the specific research
research field.
field. This analysis
This analysis willus
will allow allow us to identify
to identify the mostthe most recurrent
recurrent words inwords in the literature
the scientific scientific
literature over periods,
over different differentproviding
periods, providing a deeper
a deeper insight intoinsight
trendsinto
andtrends andinchanges
changes in
the termi-
the terminology used in the academic community. Figure 6 demonstrates
nology used in the academic community. Figure 6 demonstrates that there are variationsthat there are
variations in the of
in the frequency frequency of termswith
terms associated associated with
this type this typelikewise,
of tourism; of tourism;
newlikewise, new
relationships
relationships have continued to be named
have continued to be named from 2018 to 2022. from 2018 to 2022.
Co-occurrence analysis is a technique used in bibliometrics to identify relationships
and patterns between terms and keywords that appear together in scientific papers. VOS
Viewer is a widely used software to perform this type of analysis. Co-occurrence analysis
with VOS Viewer can help researchers identify emerging areas, potential collaborations,
and understand the structure and evolution of knowledge in a given field.
 In the following, we propose to conduct a long-term word-frequency analysis to ex-
amine the evolution and impact of critical terms over time in the specific research field.
This analysis will allow us to identify the most recurrent words in the scientific literature
over different periods, providing a deeper insight into trends and changes in the termi-
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 nology used in the academic community. Figure 6 demonstrates that there are variations11 of 21
in the frequency of terms associated with this type of tourism; likewise, new relationships
have continued to be named from 2018 to 2022.

Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 12 of 23

with VOS Viewer can help researchers identify emerging areas, potential collaborations,
and understand the structure and evolution of knowledge in a given field.
Figure
Figure6.6.Frequency
Frequencyof ofwords
wordsover
over time.
time.Source:
Source: Bibliometrix.
The VOSviewer software version 1.6.19Bibliometrix.
has created five clusters in Figure 7, with
“darkThetourism” being the most prominent
VOSviewer software version 1.6.19 has word, as created
it is the five
focusclusters
of the study.
in FigureThis7,word
with
is“dark Co-occurrence
connected analysis
to collective is
memory, a technique used
culture, heritage, in bibliometrics to identify relationships
tourism” being the most prominent word, genocide,
as it is theand heritage.
focus of theThe red clus-
study. This
terand patterns “heritage
highlights between terms and keywords
tourism”, that appear
“sustainability”, together in“survey
“authenticity”, scientific papers.
with a VOS
ques-
word is connected to collective memory, culture, heritage, genocide, and heritage. The
Viewer
tionnaire”, is a widely used software to perform this type of analysis. Co-occurrence analysis
red cluster“social networks”,
highlights andtourism”,
“heritage “narrative”. The yellow cluster
“sustainability”, emphasises
“authenticity”, “tourism”,
“survey with
“psychology”, “theoretical study”, and “motivation” in relation to
a questionnaire”, “social networks”, and “narrative”. The yellow cluster emphasisesdark tourism. The pur-
ple cluster identifies
“tourism”, six keywords
“psychology”, “theoretical related to the
study”, andtourist destination,
“motivation” attraction,
in relation visitor
to dark ex-
tourism.
perience,
The purple social behaviour,
cluster and
identifies sixthe tourist market.
keywords related Finally, the green
to the tourist cluster isattraction,
destination, centred
around
visitor “thanatourism”,
experience, socialthe history, emotion,
behaviour, and the and experience
tourist market. of visiting
Finally, thethese
greenplaces, theis
cluster
Holocaust, and the
centred around concept of death,
“thanatourism”, thewhich all generate
history, emotion,significant interest
and experience ofinvisiting
this type of
these
tourism.
places, the Holocaust, and the concept of death, which all generate significant interest in
this type of tourism.

Keywordoccurrence
Figure7.7.Keyword
Figure occurrencemap.
map.Source:
Source: VOS
VOS Viewer.
Viewer.

Figure 8 presents a coauthorship analysis highlighting the most relevant and signif-
Figure 8 presents a coauthorship analysis highlighting the most relevant and signifi-
icant collaborations in our bibliometric study. This analysis allows us to visualise the
cant collaborations in our bibliometric study. This analysis allows us to visualise the con-
connections between authors and to reveal the collaborative networks that have emerged
nections between authors and to reveal the collaborative networks that have emerged in
our research field. The nodes in the graph represent the authors, and the lines connecting
them indicate the frequency and intensity of their collaborations in different scientific
works. By studying this coauthorship network, we can identify clusters of researchers
who have worked together on joint projects, providing a more complete and deeper in-
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 12 of 21

in our research field. The nodes in the graph represent the authors, and the lines connecting
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 13 of 23
them indicate the frequency and intensity of their collaborations in different scientific
works. By studying this coauthorship network, we can identify clusters of researchers who
have worked together on joint projects, providing a more complete and deeper insight into
led to a decrease dynamics
the collaborative in the number
in ourofstudy
authors to This
area. onlyanalysis
four. It suggests that black
is fundamental tourism is
to understand-
an
ingarea of research and
the interaction addressed
impactby
ofaresearchers
limited number
in ouroffield
authors.
and provides us with valuable
information for future research and collaborations.

Figure 8.
Figure Cocitation of
8. Cocitation of authors.
authors. Source:
Source:VOSViewer.
VOSViewer.

The coauthorship analysis identified three distinct groups of authors. In the red group,
Analysing trending topics in bibliometrics is a fundamental task that will allow us to
we find leading researchers who have had a significant impact on the field related to
obtain a panoramic and updated view of the most relevant and evolving topics in a spe-
tourism development as a whole. Authors such as Stone, Sherpley, Foley, Seaton, Lennon,
cific field of study. Through this analysis, we will identify the research areas that are gain-
Hartman, Cohen, and Korstanje stand out for their influential contributions. Similarly,
ing more attention and popularity among experts and scholars, and emerging topics that
the green group comprises notable researchers, such as Biran, Light, Podoshen, Zhang,
could become future critical fields of study. In addition, studying trends in scientific pro-
Poria, Ballantyne, Scott, and Isaac, who have contributed substantially to this area, an area
duction will help us understand the direction in which research is moving in the scientific
of study that has looked more specifically at tourist behaviour. However, the blue group
community, facilitating strategic decision-making regarding resource allocation and fu-
presents a more specialised segment in black tourism, where this specialisation has led to a
ture research
decrease in theplanning.
number Ultimately,
of authors tothisonlyanalysis
four. Itwill allow that
suggests us toblack
keeptourism
abreast is ofan
advances
area of
and changes in scientific knowledge, which
research addressed by a limited number of authors. is essential to remain current and competitive
in our field of study.
Analysing trending topics in bibliometrics is a fundamental task that will allow us
Figure 9 shows theand
to obtain a panoramic terms with the
updated view trend topics.
of the mostAmong
relevant theand
terms with the
evolving highest
topics in a
frequency, “Tourism” stands out with a total of 40 mentions, which reflects
specific field of study. Through this analysis, we will identify the research areas that are its importance
as the central
gaining axis of the
more attention andstudy. Likewise,
popularity amongterms with aand
experts frequency
scholars,ofand30 emerging
were identified,
topics
such
that could become future critical fields of study. In addition, studying trends“tourism
as “Tourism management”, “tourism market”, “tourism destination”, de-
in scientific
velopment”,will
production “tourism
help usattraction”,
understand andthe“heritage tourism”,
direction in which indicating
researchthe is relevance
moving in of the
as-
pects related to management, the market, tourism destinations, development,
scientific community, facilitating strategic decision-making regarding resource allocation tourism at-
tractions, and heritage tourism in the literature analysed. On the other
and future research planning. Ultimately, this analysis will allow us to keep abreast of hand, terms were
found
advances with a frequency
and changes inofscientific
20, including “dark tourism”,
knowledge, which is “travel
essential behaviour”, “theoretical
to remain current and
study”, “questionnaire survey”,
competitive in our field of study. and “China”, suggesting an interest in topics such as dark
tourism,
Figuretravel behaviour,
9 shows the termstheoretical
with thestudies, questionnaire
trend topics. Amongsurveys,
the terms and
withthetheparticular
highest
situation
frequency,of“Tourism”
tourism in China.
stands outThese
with aresults
total ofprovide a comprehensive
40 mentions, which reflectsview of the most
its importance as
relevant
the central and
axisemerging issues
of the study. in the tourism
Likewise, terms with field, which will
a frequency of enrich
30 werethe understanding
identified, such as
and future
“Tourism direction of research
management”, “tourisminmarket”,
this field.“tourism destination”, “tourism development”,
“tourism attraction”, and “heritage tourism”, indicating the relevance of aspects related
to management, the market, tourism destinations, development, tourism attractions, and
 Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 13 of 21

heritage tourism in the literature analysed. On the other hand, terms were found with
a frequency of 20, including “dark tourism”, “travel behaviour”, “theoretical study”,
“questionnaire survey”, and “China”, suggesting an interest in topics such as dark tourism,
travel behaviour, theoretical studies, questionnaire surveys, and the particular situation
Adm. of tourism in China. These results provide a comprehensive view of the most relevant
Adm.Sci.
Sci.2023,
2023,13,
13,x xFOR
FORPEER
PEERREVIEW
REVIEW 1414ofof2323
and emerging issues in the tourism field, which will enrich the understanding and future
direction of research in this field.

Figure
Figure9.9.
Figure 9.Trend
Trendtopics.
Trend topics.Source:
topics. Source:
Source:Bibliometrix.
Bibliometrix.
Bibliometrix.

Figure10
Figure
Figure 10shows
10 showsaaaSankey
shows Sankeydiagram,
Sankey diagram,oror
diagram, orthree-field
three-fielddiagram,
three-field diagram,
diagram, representing
representing
representing the
the
the relation-
relation-
relation-
shipbetween
ship
ship betweenthe
between themost
the mostrelevant
most relevantauthors
relevant authorsand
authors andthe
and themost
the most
most popular
popular
popular keywords
keywords
keywords in
inin black
black
black tourism.
tourism.
tourism.
Inthis
InIn this type of diagram, three main fields are established: authors, keywords, and and
this type
type of of diagram,
diagram, three
three main
main fields
fields are are established:
established: authors,
authors, keywords,
keywords, and the the
thefre-
fre-
frequency
quency with with
which which
they they
are are mentioned
mentioned in the in the analysed
analysed documents.
documents. In the In the “Authors”
“Authors” field,
quency with which they are mentioned in the analysed documents. In the “Authors” field,
thefield, the names of theprominent
most prominent researchers in the studied literaturelisted,
are listed, which,
thenames
namesofofthe
themost
most prominentresearchers
researchersininthe thestudied
studiedliterature
literatureareare listed,which,
which,inin
in
this this case, are five: Seaton, Light, Biran, Stone, and Lennon; the connections are drawn
thiscase,
case,are
arefive:
five:Seaton,
Seaton,Light,
Light,Biran,
Biran,Stone,
Stone,and andLennon;
Lennon;thetheconnections
connectionsare aredrawn
drawnwithwith
withtolines
lines the to the “Keywords”
“Keywords” field, field,are:
which which
dark are: dark tourism,
tourism, tourism, tourism,
death, death, motiva-
heritage, heritage,
lines to the “Keywords” field, which are: dark tourism, tourism, death, heritage, motiva-
motivation,
tion, and collective memory. Here, the most popular keywords used in the research
tion,and
andcollective
collectivememory.
memory.Here,
Here,thethemost
mostpopular
popularkeywords
keywordsused usedininthe
theresearch
researchpapers
papers
papers
related related to each author are presented.
relatedtotoeach
eachauthor
authorare
arepresented.
presented.

Figure 10. Three-field plot. Source: own elaboration.

Figure
Figure10.
10.Three-field
Three-fieldplot.
plot.Source:
Source:own
ownelaboration.
elaboration.
3.2. Systematic Review
3.2.
3.2.Systematic Review
In this section,
Systematic Reviewwe systematically reviewed articles published in dark tourism from
2018 to the
InInthis present. To this end, we reviewed
have employed the PRISMA methodology, as it is
thissection,
section,wewesystematically
systematically reviewedarticles
articlespublished
publishedinindark
darktourism
tourismfromfrom
a
2018valuable tool to synthesise and rigorously analyse the existing evidence, which allows
2018 to the present. To this end, we have employed the PRISMA methodology, as itisisaa
to the present. To this end, we have employed the PRISMA methodology, as it
a deeper understanding
valuable of therigorously
phenomena studied, and provides useful information for
valuabletooltooltotosynthesise
synthesiseand and rigorouslyanalyse
analysethe
theexisting
existingevidence,
evidence,which
whichallows
allowsaa
deeper
deeperunderstanding
understandingofofthe thephenomena
phenomenastudied,
studied,and
andprovides
providesuseful
usefulinformation
informationfor for
decision-making
decision-making and knowledge generation. Through this analysis, we havesystemati-
and knowledge generation. Through this analysis, we have systemati-
cally
callysynthesised
synthesisedand andanalysed
analysedevidence
evidencefrom
frommultiple
multiplestudies,
studies,providing
providingaadeeper
deeperandand
richer understanding of the perspectives and experiences of participants in the study
richer understanding of the perspectives and experiences of participants in the study area. area.
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 14 of 21

decision-making and knowledge generation. Through this analysis, we have systematically

synthesised and analysed evidence from multiple studies, providing a deeper and richer
understanding of the perspectives and experiences of participants in the study area.
Table 6 lists the articles, objectives, methods, and determinants of dark tourism and
thanatotourism, from which was selected 15 documents from the application of the PRISMA
methodology which fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria during the systematic
review (S.R). Including 15 articles in our systematic literature review is based on carefully
considering several key factors. Firstly, we have chosen to focus on the timeliness of the
topic under consideration, so we set an exclusion criterion of a publication date beyond a
five-year interval. We wanted our review to reflect the most recent research and findings in
the field, ensuring our results are relevant to the current context. Furthermore, by excluding
studies where black tourism was the main focus, we have concentrated more precisely
on papers that address specific aspects of our topic of interest, allowing us to obtain a
more detailed and focused view of the relevant literature. The selection of 15 articles
balances comprehensiveness and the capacity for in-depth analysis, allowing us to conduct
a rigorous and comprehensive systematic review.

Table 6. Systematic review.

Reference Author & Year Document Title Objective Method Determinants

A deep experience is
Lv, X.
gained through
Luo, H. Photography of
Spectrum of dark Analyse dark tourism paintings and
Xu, S. tourists in places
(Lv et al. tourism: visual from conceptual photographs, based on
Sun, J. where dark tourism
2022a) expression of the bases of the last the feelings of the
Lu, R. is practiced based on
dark experience century. people who visit the
Hu, Y. field experiments.
places related to dark
(2022)
tourism.
A context with a
Thematic analysis of
Determine the ethical greater impact on the
Multiplicity of moral the multiplicity of
paradoxes, analysing moral–ethical issue is
emotions in emotions that
(Dresler 2023) Dresler, E. (2023) the education and evident in the
educational dark children have
emotions of dark educational
tourism regarding the topic of
tourism in children. experiences of dark
dark tourism.
tourism.
Propose a model for Currently, research on
Data collection at
responding to dark tourism focuses
Kerr, M.M. Experiences of young different stages,
(Kerr et al. academic questioning exclusively on adults
Stone, P.R. Price, R.H. tourists in dark allowing children to
2020) at dark tourism sites and does not consider
(2020) tourism sites feel more comfortable
based on children’s the experiences of
with the researchers.
experiences. young tourists.
A broad understanding
Illustrate how they Surveys to identify
of theory with
affect the feelings of dark tourism
Sun, J. Feeling dark, seeing implications for the
(Sun and Lv potential tourists at experiences in
Lv, X. dark: mind-body in design and marketing
2021) different levels of bidirectional
(2021) dark tourism of dark tourism
darkness, based on mind–body
incarnation products is
photos on a website. synchronisation.
determined.
Cognitive appraisals, Analyse cognitive
Semistructured Determines the
emotions and coping appraisals of the
(Jordan and Jordan, E.J. surveys to residents emotional experiences
strategies of residents experiences and
Prayag 2021) (2021) of Christchurch, New of residents at dark
at local dark tourism emotions of residents
Zealand. tourism sites.
sites in dark tourism sites.
Negative and positive
To provide a global impacts on the
Magano, J. Systematic review in
Dark tourists: profile, vision of dark Holocaust were
Fraiz-Brea, Web of Science,
(Magano et al. practices, tourism topics based obtained from tourist
J.A. Scopus and Google
2023) motivations and on the practices, welfare associated with
Leite, Â. Scholar databases,
wellbeing motivations, and marketing and
(2023) focused on SLR.
well-being of tourists. management at dark
tourism sites.
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 15 of 21

Table 6. Cont.

Reference Author & Year Document Title Objective Method Determinants

Dimensions of
introspective and
Analyse the
Unpacking visitor Semistructured relational experience
determinant
Zhang, Y. experiences at dark interviews and a are obtained, which
(Zhang 2021) experiences in the
(2021) tourism sites of study of helps illuminate the
dark sites of natural
natural disasters photographs. value of promoting
disasters.
dark tourism in natural
disasters.
It highlights the
Determine the Semistructured
Experiencing human importance of dark
importance of human interviews with
Zhang, Y. identity in dark tourism in the scientific
(Zhang 2022) identity among visitors of natural-
(2022) tourism sites of literature, investigating
visitors in a dark disaster-related dark
natural disasters the impact it has on
tourism context. tourism sites.
human identity.
This type of tourism
Questionnaires to explores a morbid
Millan, D. Dark tourism in people who visit curiosity about people
To provide
(Millan et al. Millán, V. southern Spain cemeteries or towards the
knowledge in the
2021) Hernández, R. (Cordoba): a demand “haunted” places in supernatural; having a
field of dark tourism.
(2021) analysis the province of desire to know the facts
Córdoba. of what occurred in the
place.
Semistructured
Determine the interviews with the
Peculiarities of importance of the local community in It focuses on the issues
(Jureniene and Jureniene, V. sustainable cultural concepts of the processes of of sustainable
Radzevicius Radzevicius, M. development: a case sustainable tourism cultural heritage development of dark
2022) (2022) of dark tourism in and dark tourism for protection and tourism in relation to
Lithuania regional tourism cultural tourism regional tourism.
development. development with
the private sector.
Weaver, D. It recognises the
Dark tourism, Analyse the
Tang, C. negative implications
emotions and visitor intersection between Surveys to domestic
Shi, F. of dark tourism for the
(Weaver et al. aftereffects in a dark tourism and the visitors of the Lushun
Huang, M.F. bilateral relationship as
2018) sensitive geopolitical subsequent visitor Prison Museum in
Burns, K. it becomes increasingly
context: a Chinese experience in Dalian, China.
Sheng, A. tense between China
case study geopolitics.
(2022) and Japan.
‘Not that we like
death or anything’: An interest in visiting a
exploring the Explore the reasons Semistructured place of death,
Ivanova, P.
(Ivanova and motivations and for visiting a more interviews with suffering, or the
Light, D.
Light 2018) experiences of obscure (heritage) visitors to the macabre is reported,
(2018)
visitors to a darker, tourist attraction. London Dungeon. making it a dark
lighter tourist tourism activity.
attraction
It is evident that,
throughout time, the
Offer the dead a covenant between the
Dark tourism in an Data collection is
Stone, P.R. memorial future so living and the dead has
(Stone 2018) era ofspectacular done through
(2018) that they have an been one of mutual
death interviews.
honoured past. obligation, while death
is universal across time
and communities.
The process and
Podoshen, J.S.
outcomes of dark
Yan, G. Identify dark tourism
Dark tourism, tourism related to
(Podoshen et al. Andrzejewski, S.A. and its significant Interviews and
abjection and blood: tourists and local hosts
2018) Wallin, J. importance in the content analysis.
a festive context playing a key role in
Venkatesh, V. literature.
the relationships are
(2018)
understood.
 Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 16 of 21

Table 6. Cont.

Reference Author & Year Document Title Objective Method Determinants

Dark tourism
Design a
Dark tourism: experiences are
Boateng, H. phenomenological Data from the
(Boateng et al. exploring the tourist obtained and
Okoe, A.F. research model Tripadvisor website
2018) experience at Cape conceptualised from
(2018) exploring tourist was used.
Coast Castle, Ghana cognitive and
experiences.
emotional perspectives.
Source: own elaboration.

4. Knowledge Framework
By analysing research on dark tourism, we have concluded that this framework has
several aspects and dimensions. These, along with the research’s directions and critical
points, pose complex challenges that require change. As a result, we developed a theoretical
framework based on previous studies (León-Gómez et al. 2023; Geng et al. 2022) that serves
as a reference for future research.
In dark tourism, a theoretical knowledge framework has been established through
this study. This framework sheds light on collaborative and co-occurring networks, and
highlights the latest research trends. By analysing author cooperation and co-occurrence,
the study provides an up-to-date overview of the current state of the research. The main
contents of the research framework are also thoroughly explored.
Sci. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 18 of which
Figure 11 shows the main insights gained from the previous analyses, 23 form the
knowledge framework of this research.

Figureof11.
Figure 11. Category Category
dark of Source:
tourism. dark tourism. Source: own elaboration.
own elaboration.

This knowledge Thisframework

knowledgeenables
framework enables
readers readers
to gain to gain an
an integrated integrated
and and comprehensive
comprehensive
understanding of the topic under analysis from different perspectives.
understanding of the topic under analysis from different perspectives. This enables future This enables future
researchers to obtain influential and relevant publications, potential
researchers to obtain influential and relevant publications, potential collaborations, and collaborations, and
critical references. It also provides trends in this domain, enabling
critical references. It also provides trends in this domain, enabling researchers to make researchers to make
better
better decisions decisions
in their futureinresearch
their future
andresearch
maximise and maximise
research research impacts.
impacts.

5. Conclusions
This study aimed to analyse the empirical structure of the literature published on
dark tourism. It is of great importance, as, through the analysis of scientific production,
we have obtained a comprehensive view of the field of study and identified leaders,
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 17 of 21

5. Conclusions
This study aimed to analyse the empirical structure of the literature published on dark
tourism. It is of great importance, as, through the analysis of scientific production, we have
obtained a comprehensive view of the field of study and identified leaders, trends, and
future lines of research. Therefore, this study is a valuable tool for advancing knowledge
and informed decision-making in the professional field of dark tourism.
Firstly, we have answered the first research question concerning the evolution of the
number of articles on black tourism. To do so, we have carried out the analysis of Lotka’s
coefficient in our study. This reveals a marked concentration in the authorship of the articles
published in the research field studied. Most articles are written by one or two authors,
indicating the prevalence of individual researchers or small teams in scientific production.
It is remarkable that only a tiny percentage, represented by 0.013% of the articles, is written
by five or seven authors, highlighting the scarcity of extensive collaborations in this area
of knowledge. This asymmetric distribution of authorship raises questions about the
factors influencing this trend, such as the nature of the field of study, the dynamics of
collaboration, and the attribution of academic credit. Consequently, our findings emphasise
the importance of further investigating the reasons behind this concentration in authorship,
and how it may affect the development and quality of research in the field. Furthermore,
future studies are invited to examine the impact of multiauthor collaboration on knowledge
generation and scientific progress in general. A better understanding of these dynamics
may contribute to fostering interdisciplinary cooperation and strengthening the scientific
basis of our discipline.
On the other hand, we analysed scientific production over the last five years to answer
the second research question about the most influential journals, articles, authors, and
geographical regions in this field. This analysis revealed the overall stability of published
scientific output, with some fluctuations over time, especially in 2020 and 2021, when the
COVID-19 pandemic occurred. Notably, 2022 stood out as the period of highest production
compared to previous years. However, when analysing the most influential articles, an
intriguing pattern emerges: most of them come from 2018. This finding suggests a signifi-
cant increase in the interest in black tourism during that period, which may have spurred
more profound and more impactful research. These findings highlight the importance
of examining the quantity and quality of scientific output in a field of study. Although
the annual production has remained stable, the analysis of the most influential articles
highlights how certain moments in time can be crucial for the development and visibility
of a research topic. Thus, we encourage researchers and practitioners interested in black
tourism to pay special attention to 2018, to delve deeper into the factors contributing to its
relevance in the field, and to continue to monitor the evolution of scientific production in
subsequent years to identify possible emerging trends and to keep research in this exciting
and significant tourism–cultural field up-to-date.
Finally, the analysis of the conceptual structure map in our study reveals emerging and
relevant areas of research in dark tourism. Specifically, the interaction between psychology
and dark tourism stands out as one of the most significant emerging areas, suggesting a
growing interest in understanding the psychological and motivational aspects of tourists
visiting sites associated with death, tragedy, and suffering. In addition, examination of the
most frequently occurring words in the literature that are also trend topics highlights the im-
portance of critical concepts, such as “tourism management,” “tourism market,” “tourism
destination,” “tourism development,” “tourism attraction”, and “heritage tourism.” These
terms reflect the fundamental areas of study in dark tourism, and underline the need to
research and understand the management of tourism destinations related to cultural her-
itage and historical sites of dark interest. Our findings highlight the importance of further
exploring the interaction between psychology and dark tourism, as this could shed light
on tourists’ motivations and emotional experiences in such destinations. Future research
should also continue to explore and analyse the key concepts identified in the literature
to improve the planning and management of dark tourism, ensuring an appropriate bal-
Adm. Sci. 2023, 13, 238 18 of 21

ance between the preservation of cultural heritage and the sustainable development of
these sites.
This study represents a valuable contribution to the literature on dark tourism by
providing an intrinsic and comprehensive analysis of the field’s current state. The findings
offer researchers and practitioners in the tourism sector an overview of the epistemological
structure of dark tourism, providing them with a solid knowledge base in this subject area.
The analysis allows for a better understanding of the theoretical and conceptual framework
of the articles published so far, which is essential for establishing the basis for future
research and enriching the academic debate on dark tourism. Furthermore, this study
identifies patterns, trends, and gaps in current research, which is essential for researchers
interested in the field. Identifying emerging trends and new research areas opens up
opportunities to keep dark tourism relevant and up-to-date, adapting to societal changes
and travellers’ needs. Overall, this article provides a solid platform for the continued
development of research in dark tourism. The results and analyses provided have the
potential to guide future research efforts and, in turn, contribute to the advancement and
evolution of this exciting area of study in the field of tourism and culture.
This article provides a solid basis for future studies and enriches existing knowledge
in the field of dark tourism, allowing a better understanding of its dynamics and enabling
the implementation of tourism practices that are more responsible and respectful of the
historical and cultural memory of dark destinations. However, it is essential to recognise
and address the inherent limitations of this methodological approach. One of the main
limitations of this study is the restrictions we have imposed from the outset to carry out the
analysis. It may therefore be necessary to review the scope and representativeness of the
bibliographic databases used to ensure the completeness of the analysis. Some relevant
publications may have been omitted because they are not indexed in the selected databases.
Finally, by focusing on published literature, this study may only partially reflect the picture
of developing or unpublished research, which may influence the overall perception of the
field of study. In addition, the scope and representativeness of the literature databases used
may need to be reviewed to ensure the completeness of the analysis.
Despite these limitations, this bibliometric article has provided a valuable overview
and understanding of the trends and structure of the literature in the field of interest. The
development of these future lines of research allows us to answer the ultimate research ques-
tion. Future research should address these limitations, using complementary approaches
and mixed methodologies to obtain a more complete and holistic view of the field studied.
Doing so will advance knowledge and understanding of the subject, contributing to the
continued development of research in the specific area and its implications for the scientific
and professional community.

Author Contributions: All authors contributed to the various sections of the research. All authors
have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement: Scopus and Web of Science databases.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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