Beyond thanatopsis: the sublime experience of visitors at natural disaster sites

Jinwei Wang, Jiaxin Guo, Guangjuan Lu, Saiyin Zhang, Ling Feng and Alastair M. Morrison

Current Issues in Tourism, 2025, vol. 28, issue 12, 1967-1981

Abstract: Understanding positive emotions associated with dark tourism experiences is critical in highlighting their social significance. The sublime experience provides a new perspective for exploring the association. This research aimed to uncover the characteristics and generation of sublime experiences at natural disaster sites based on two classic Chinese earthquake memorials. Using thematic analysis of messages in guest books and travel-based social networks, a model was developed of the sublime experiences of dark tourism at natural disaster sites. The model suggests that the visitor experience at natural disaster sites can be seen as a sublime experience. Safe experiences, diverse experience objects, and meaningful experiences foster positive emotions of dark tourism experiences. This research provides new findings on sublime experiences and has theoretical contributions for interpreting positive emotions in dark tourism encounters.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/13683500.2024.2360152

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