There’s been a lot of discussion recently about boosting Guelph’s tourism profile. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, cities are working hard to rebuild their shattered tourism industries and Guelph is no exception, which is why the City of Guelph this week launched the Tourism Grants Program, designed to support the development and attraction of new tourism initiatives across Guelph. So here’s an idea…

Last fall, Guelph Politico explored the possibilities of dark tourism in Guelph for a special Halloween episode of the show. The Royal City, with its relatively sunny disposition and progressive appeal, doesn’t look like a bastion for all things morose or macabre, but that’s the candy coating for a seedy underbelly. And, as a bonus, Guelph is already well on its way to being a dark tourism hotbed.

Our thriving dark tourism industry is largely grassroots. It’s people like Greg Taylor, and Jay Wilson, and Bonnie Durtnall, people who have turned their fascination with the dark corners of Guelph into a lucrative side hustle. But would it surprise you to know that the University of Guelph actually has a professor who studies dark tourism? Perhaps he might be able to answer this question: Is Guelph a dark tourism hot spot and we don’t know it?

This week, we’re joined again by Brent McKenzie, who is a professor in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics at the University of Guelph. He will give us a formal definition of “dark tourism” and talk about the local examples of the trade. He will also talk about the grassroots nature of dark tourism, whether dark tourism can go “too far”, and some of McKenzie’s favourite dark tourism experiences whether they’re in Guelph or not

So let’s talk again about Guelph’s dark tourism future on this week’s Guelph Politicast!

There are many ongoing local dark tourism experiences in Guelph including Ghost Walk of Guelph, Jaywalking with Jay Wilson and his performance of “The Unfortunate Man” for which you can fine tickets at Eventbrite, and a wide variety of history walks and tours with Guelph Urbex. You can find information about the Tourism Grants Program at the City of Guelph website.

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