Visiting the trenches: Exploring meanings and motivations in battlefield tourism

This paper provides insights into the motivations and experiences of tourists who visit sites associated with war and conflict, specifically 25 individuals who participated in a tour of the World War One battlefields of the Somme and Ypres. The paper discusses the narratives of four of these individuals to illustrate in detail how such battlefield tours offer opportunities for pilgrimage, collective and personal remembrance and event validation. All of the participants had a prior interest in warfare, which was a key influence on their battlefield tour experiences. For the study participants battlefield tours emerge as complex, deeply meaningful and in some cases life-changing experiences.

Research highlightsThis paper provides qualitative insights into the motivations and experiences of tourists who visit sites associated with war and conflict. It discusses the narratives of four battlefield individuals to illustrate in detail how battlefield tours offer opportunities for pilgrimage, collective and personal remembrance and the validation of events. It reviews a range of tourism, anthropology and sociology literature relating to warfare tourism, remembrance and personal and collective memory. Its analysis illustrates how the study participants’ prior interest in warfare was a key influence on their battlefield tour experiences. For the study participants battlefield tours emerge as complex, deeply meaningful and in some cases life-changing experiences.