Dark Tourism
Managing the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
One of the main management implications amongst dark tourism sites is whether or not it is ethical to develop, promote or offer them for touristic consumption (Stone and Sharpley, 2009).
Ground Zero has not only become a site of universal mourning, but, it's also become a convulted space which has to react to grief, whilst understanding it has become memorialised and commercial. Sharpley & Stone (2012) advocate this by indicating the 9/11 site has been imbued with immense emotional and political investments which has resulted in the site becoming a highly contestable space. Furthermore, Sharpley & Stone (2012, p78.) also add that 'Ground Zero as an area is slowly evolving from a space of tragedy and destruction that is occupied by mourners, into a place of trade and construction'. This can be seen as being unethical in terms of respecting the dead. The management issue in this instance is will control issues be implicated in order to not over-commercialise the site. Personally, this is something which will have to be addressed in order for the dead and the whole meaning of the 9/11 site to not become forgotten. However, Sharpley & Stone (2012, p,82.) do argue that Ground Zero does infact provide a 'contemporary mediating place to contemplate and reflect upon how people were killed.'
Ethical Issues
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Stone & Sharpley (2009) believe that 'the rights of those who's death is commoditised or commercialised through dark tourism represent an important ethical dimension that deserves consideration'. Therefore, from a management perspective charging visitors to enter parts of the 9/11 site may be seen as unethical as this is essentially generating revenue at the expense of the deceased. However, without necessary charges in place for tourists the site would struggle to function and would then become extinct for consumption. This is effectively managed by the site with numerous references on their website indicating that profits are used to maintain and preserve. Additionally, viewing the memorials are complimentary and options are available to visit the museum free of charge. The paying public are also able to access the sites financial information online via the 911 website.
One 'World Trade' Center