Dark tourism: analysis of the relationship between motivations, experiences, and benefits of visitors at Recoleta Cemetery, Argentina

Dark tourism is a form of niche tourism that is undergoing increasingly rapid development. The literature identifies the cemetery as a site for dark tourism, through its association with the ideas of death and mourning; these can cause unpleasant feelings for tourists, which is a fundamental characteristic of the 'dark tourism' concept. The objective of this paper is to analyse the relationship between the motivations, experiences, and benefits of visiting the Recoleta cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The study is characterised as exploratory, descriptive, and has used the quantitative approach. A total of 450 respondents claimed to have visited the Recoleta cemetery. The authors tested and validated five factors through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, including social and learning motivations, reflexive and empathetic experiences, and benefits. The result provides theoretical evidence that motivations to visit the Recoleta cemetery are related to knowledge seeking, leisure, and social activities with family and friends. The experiences obtained during the visit include the eliciting of a sense of escapism, through relaxation and peace. The study offers evidence that visiting the cemetery can provide moments of contemplation, and promote reflection about life. In addition, this study identifies practical modifications that can assist in decision-making processes.