China's 'Dark Tourism' Trend: Paying to Experience Fake Typhoons
Simulated disasters are drawing Chinese tourists eager to safely feel extreme weather. The 'paying to suffer' concept is reshaping domestic travel.
A growing number of Chinese tourists are seeking out simulated natural disasters — including artificial typhoon-strength winds and flash floods — as a form of so-called dark tourism that blends thrill-seeking with a desire to understand catastrophe firsthand.
The trend, described as 'paying to suffer,' has surged in popularity across China, with social media platforms playing a central role in driving interest. The Chinese app RedNote has become a key discovery tool, with algorithm-driven videos of people battling simulated extreme weather conditions drawing millions of views and inspiring travel decisions.
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Leon Lv, a 28-year-old from Chongqing in south-west China, said she chose to visit one such attraction after seeing the clips online. Having never lived through a real typhoon, she was drawn to the idea of experiencing its force in a controlled, safe environment. 'I just have seen it on the news,' she said, explaining her motivation to learn through firsthand — if artificial — exposure.
The phenomenon represents a modern evolution of dark tourism, a travel category traditionally associated with visiting sites linked to historical tragedies, wars, or disasters. Rather than touring the aftermath of catastrophe, participants in this newer format are immersed in real-time simulations, shifting the experience from somber reflection to visceral sensation while preserving a layer of safety.
Analysts of travel behavior may note that the appetite for such experiences reflects broader cultural currents — a generation raised on digital news coverage of climate disasters seeking embodied understanding beyond the screen. Continue reading at Business | The Guardian.
