In Auschwitz, Nazis killed about 1.5 million people, mostly Jews, during the course of World War II. In other eras, thousands were massacred in the Colosseum and more than 2,000 people were killed on 9/11. Now, these spots have become tourist attractions drawing millions from around the world every year.Usually, when people want to go somewhere for touristic purposes, their mainly look to relax, learn new things and ultimately be happy. However, modern consumption has finally consumed the dictionary definition of tourism as well.

The mass tourism that began in the first half of the 20th century is now dying, and tourist managers around the world are looking for alternatives to keep the sector alive. We are accustomed to hearing the phrases health tourism or belief tourism but the term dark tourism is something new and a growing segment of the multi-billion dollar industry.

What is dark tourism?

Dark tourism, which diverges from resting, having fun and having a good time, is filled with grief and sorrow. In general, dark tourism involves traveling to sites that are in some way connected to death or disaster. However, dark tourism comes in a very wide variety of forms. The connection with death and disaster can be very direct, as in the mausoleums of great communist leaders whose actual dead bodies are on public display or it can be quite indirect, such as sites of volcanic destruction which may not have involved any actual deaths at all.

In fact, there has been a long tradition of visiting ancient sites of disasters and death, such as Pompeii or the Colosseum; however, the term dark tourism is relatively new, coined in 1996 by professors John Lennon and Malcolm Foley, faculty members at Glasgow Caledonian University.

What defines a dark tourism spot?

According to an article published by Professor Tony Seaton in 1999, a destination has to bear at least one of five specific features to be considered as a dark tourism spot:

Places that witnessed mass murders or executions

Settings of historically important wars or mausoleums

The death setting of an important person

Places with tools or remains representing death

Sites carrying religious significance

Moreover, sites that are hit by natural disasters or man-made disasters can also be listed as dark tourism sites.

Although these features seem horrific, spots bearing these features are actually some of the most visited sites in the world.

Apart from the historic sites, thousands of people are traveling to active war zones and refugee camps to feel what it means to be at war. In fact, tourist groups went to Iraq during the heated times with the U.S., and people still go on vacation in Syria and Somalia just to peek at tragedy and relax.

Although this sounds like a far-fetched idea for an adventure, going to war zones as spectators is not something new. During the American Civil War, spectators gathered to watch the first battle of Bull Run and ended up retreating with the Union army back to Washington.

Why dark places?Chernobyl, Ukraine

Philip Stone is the executive director of the Institute for Dark Tourism Research, an internationally recognized center of excellence for dark tourism scholarship based in the University of Central Lancashire, U.K. Stone said people throughout history have always traveled to sites of death, and that it is not a new concept.

He said in an interview with the Sun: "By implication of the term 'dark,' there is an obvious and inherent suggestion that tourists who visit sites of death, disaster or the seemingly macabre are somehow disturbed or ghoulish by their act of visitation. There has already been an attempt within the literature to create a 'Dark Tourist Spectrum,' but I am afraid it falls well short of a comprehensive visitor typology. In short, I would argue that there can never be a so-called 'dark tourist' because motivations to visit particular sites will be so varied and visitor experiences will be laden with varying levels of emotional intensity, that to try and categories visitors beyond simple parameters is all be futile. There are no dark tourists to dark tourism sites - only individuals who are interested in the social reality of their own life-world."

Where do ethics stand?

Yes, people are drawn to places with dark, gloomy histories. So, is it ethical to visit such places? Actually, there is nothing wrong with going to spots flagged as dark tourism sites, but when people start to profit from it and take selfies with big smiles on their faces is when everything goes wrong.

With the influence of social media and people's desire to constantly announce their whereabouts, it seems like the world revolves around selfie sticks. Visiting places that witnessed massacres or disasters that cost thousands of lives requires respect for the lost souls. However, today, it is easy to see selfies of people smiling in Auschwitz, in the house of Anne Frank or even in Chernobyl, whose effects are still reminiscent of the horror that people of the region suffered.

The question is why are we traveling? Is it because we want to heighten our understanding of the historical facts or just to show off to others on social media?

In the end, it is always good to keep in mind that not every location is a good place for happy selfies and shenanigans with friends.

Top dark tourism destinations around the world1. Chernobyl, Ukraine

2. Alcatraz, San Francisco, U.S.

3. Hiroshima, Japan

4. Belchite, Spain

5. Pompeii, Italy

6. The Berlin Wall, Germany

7. The wreck of the Titanic, North AtlanticTop dark tourism destinations in Turkey1. Sinop Prison, Sinop

2. Gallipoli, the Dardanelles, Çanakkale

3. Soma, Manisa

4. Sarıkamış, Kars

5. The ancient city of Troy, Çanakkale