Dark tourism is defined by Foley and Lennon (2000) as "the phenomenon involving the presentation and consumption (by visitors) of real and commodified places of death and disaster". Tarlow (2005, Pg 48) ascertains that these are "visits to places where historically noteworthy tragedies or deaths have occurred and which continue to impact our lives." Dark tourism is a relatively new term for academic research, so in these early stages it is not yet well defined. The two more academic definitions I have included are still vague and slightly vague, although these interpretations have increased debate and research in this area. Another title for this type of tourism is Grief Tourism. These two descriptions are often used interchangeably, which makes it difficult to differentiate them from one another because they are so similar. A final word used for this type of travel is Thanatourismo, from the Greek word Thanatos, the Greek personification of death. To make this topic even more confusing for people interested in learning more about the topic, there are various types of dark tourism such as disaster tourism which includes areas that have suffered from natural disasters rather than man-made ones. New Orleans and the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina fall into this category. Although it appears to be a generic term, its underlying meaning is clear. The term Dark Tourism according to Sharpley (2009, Pg 6) provides us with a juxtaposition. By this he means that the noun tourism connotes thoughts of relaxation and fun-filled beach holidays, but combining it with the adjective dark gives it a completely new meaning and one that, according to Sharpley, attracts the public's attention. ...... middle of paper ...... how profitable dark tourism and, above all, war tourism can be. This brings me to my next chapter which will focus on Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. As I mentioned in my introduction, it is a city that has been plagued by war for decades and this long period of unrest has now become known around the world as The Troubles. In the 1960s and 1970s the divisions in Belfast were clear for all to see. The Troubles are believed to have officially taken hold in 1968 during a march for the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, when riots broke out between the Catholic and Protestant communities. For decades, paramilitary groups have operated on both sides of the sectarian divide, and tension between the two religions still exists today. For this reason tourists visit Belfast to understand the turmoil and devastation this local war has caused.