Dark tourism as educational tool, The „Kragujevac october“ memorial park

Abstract

Traveling to and experiencing places associated with death is not a new phenomenon, as people have long visited places, attractions and events related to one way or another with death, suffering, violence or disaster. Dark tourism is seen as visits to places where tragedies occurred, which continue to affect our lives. Memorials affect how people remember and interpret the past, and is also a mirror of contemporary events, issues and social tensions. Therefore, the "Kragujevac October" memorial park as an authentic location of one of the largest mass executions during the Second World War, has an important educational role, especially in the construction of a national identity and the spread of an anti-war message. Formation of the offer that primarily has an educative function attractive to different target groups, advances tourist experience in the long-term and provides a direct benefit to the local community. The aim of this paper is to highlight the educational potential that is possible to release with the development of "Kragujevac October" in the context of dark tourism.