War Tourism Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

As per the latest findings of Future Market Insights, global war tourism revenue is expected to be US$ 476.7 Million by the end of 2023. In the long term, the war tourism market is estimated to reach around US$ 814.2 Million in 2033.

War tourism is explained as traveling to the battlefield where there is a strong essence of war that has happened previously. Sites with wars generally have a particular section of tourists who has an intriguing interest in adventure and get an adrenaline-pumped thrill by seeing a war tourism site. The interest of the nation towards the battlefield is politically and historically significant and incorporates battles and wars of different magnitude and precisely different locations which have been fought across countries the trail of remains after the war, is left which is now becoming a temptation among people as they were intended to visit such places.

Among the tourists, those who have a good grasp on the history of war, and are curious to know how the war strategy was made and executed, often on their visits, try to look for details on wars. War tourism is slightly different from all other types of conventional tourism where the prime focus of war tourism is on death and destruction in the backdrop and has suffered a consequent loss of life and property. The development of these war-affected areas to turn those into tourist sites happens to be a major implementation in war tourism. The nature of the visitors of war tourism to a former battlefield is seeing a continuation in the number of visitors, and people are becoming more and more aware and interested to visit such sites, which hold significance to a country's history and events.

Attribute Details
Estimated War Market Size (2023E) US$ 476.7 Million
Projected Market Valuation (2033F) US$ 814.2 Million
Value-based CAGR (2023 to 2033) 5.5%
Collective Value Share: Top 5 Countries (2022A) 10% to 15%

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2018 to 2022 Global War Tourism Market Outlook Compared to 2023 to 2033 Forecast

War tourism, in one form or another, has always existed and played a crucial role in the perpetuation of cultures via different forms. People from across the world have always been visiting sites linked with histories of different wars. Numerous tourists visit places which has some past and out of curiosity people tend to go to these places while earlier these places were not much priced, in recent times due to the gaining popularity of war tourism, a nation is commercializing the war-affected places and turning those into a complete tourist’s sites. By putting charges for various instances of tourist visits, war tourism acts as a contributor to the tourism sector towards the nation's economy.

Advances in war tourism are bringing more participation in terms of visitor counts and this will only keep increasing as there have been numerous tourists caught up in major war-prone regions such as Israel, Lebanon, Columbia, and other regions, which were at war. There has always been a symbolic relationship between the attraction of war sites and the visitors where the focus is on exploring the expertise of these sites and experiencing relevance in thrill-seeking into dangerous places, which are forbidden.

Key Dynamics in War Tourism Market Worldwide

  • Tourist Attraction Towards Visiting Battleground is Driving the War Tourism Market

Visitors in large numbers are willing to visit battlefields and war places, which were once filled with human flesh and blood and polluted with gun smoke is an attraction in itself. Tourists prefer to visit these locations as a part of the thrill and adventure which sets these locations apart from the rest.

For instance, the city of Dresden in Saxony in Germany lost nearly 25,000 innocent civilians at the time of World War 2. Germany incurred heavy losses during that time which increased the interest of the tourists and as they come back to look at the place, the city secured a place in the Guinness Book for being the city with the occurrence record-breaking massacre. There are many towns with that havoc on property and the life of people due to wars which was been slaughtered and destructed in the past and these places will keep on attracting more tourists out of curiosity which will increase the number of visitors in war tourism.

  • Government’s Patronage Towards War Tourism Contributing to Growth in the Market

The government is encouraging the benefits of services that war locations are providing to tourists, which are enhancing the economy of the entire tourism sector. The money, which tourists are spending, is increasing the revenue for hotels and resorts, restaurants, and the local business of that particular place. There are entry fees incurred to memorials where war has happened, battlefields, and museums, which are also contributing towards the economic growth and revenue generation through these war places.

Hence, the government patronizing war tourism is bringing new opportunities for visitors and local business vendors. The government is taking various initiatives towards enhancing the ambiance and surroundings of war sites. Enough awareness has been created in terms of education about warfare and battlefields which is creating a commanding key for war tourism.

  • Heavy Setup and Infrastructural Cost Indulged in the Establishment of War Tourism is Coming Across as a Challenge for Future

In recent times, there have been expenses incurred in the development and maintenance of infrastructure for war tourism. Due to the heavy cost of its development and lesser number of visitor, specifically to war tourism, its full-fledged establishment will bring expenses and while there are monetary resources availed for its development, if the number of tourist visitors does not increases, it will difficult to manage the costs which are getting indulged in its development.

Sudip Saha
Sudip Saha

Principal Consultant

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Country -wise Insights

Country Lebanon
Market Share (2023) 25.5%
Market Share (2033) 22.6%
BPS Analysis (-) 290
Country Ukraine
Market Share (2023) 29.6%
Market Share (2033) 34.5%
BPS Analysis (+) 490

How is Lebanon Turning the Destination of the Civil War into a Tourist Spot for War Tourism?

With the launch of various programs by the government, Lebanon is building War tourism Infrastructure

Lebanon's civil war practically destroyed its infrastructure, which hurt the nation's economy as well. Prior to the war, Lebanon's economy thrived in part thanks to its thriving tourism industry, which was also helping to build the country's political economy. For a very long time, the nation's tourist industry was in jeopardy, and investors were reluctant to enter the sector. The government started a number of initiatives to boost tourism in Lebanon, including the "Launching 50 Days" campaign to market the country as a vacation spot and 50% off ticket and hotel rates to encourage travel in conflict-affected areas.

The government is reversing the harm that was done previously with a variety of efforts, and intriguingly, tourism in Lebanon is having a better impact and the number of local and foreign tourists is steadily rising, leading to a healthier economy.

How is Ukraine Dealing with Less Outbound Tourism in the Country Post War?

Ukraine is promoting international destinations for domestic tourism to bring stability to the economy for war tourism

Countries were all prepared to recover from pandemic losses when COVID-19 caused a halt to both domestic and international travel and was a breakthrough in the hospitality and tourism industries with lockdown restrictions being implemented. However, the Russia-Ukraine conflict completely affected the tourism sector and the entire forecast was downgraded where even the countries on a common border with Ukraine also got severely influenced, which has led to an inflation crisis.

Fewer travelers are leaving the country because of the war. To make up for the losses, tour operators and indirect suppliers are pushing local as well as foreign travel while also haggling pricing with the tour operators. Additional actions are also taken, such as The UNWTO requesting assistance from its member nations with strategies for aid programs that will benefit the nation, revitalize tourism, and build infrastructure for war tourism.

Category -wise Insights

Which Age Group Prefers Travelling to War Tourism Places More?

Age group between 26 to 35 prefers to travel more at war tourism places

The age group between 26 to 35 holds the major share in terms of travel for war tourism as this age group belongs to the category of working professionals and their capacity of spending to visit these places and their interest towards visiting these places, as a part of the adventure is preferred more. The age group between 26 to 35 also does have prominent access to social media which gives them the authority to gather maximum information related to these sites this age groups are always keen on taking adventurous risks and social media helps them to demonstrate their plans related to war tourism. It is more likely that this type of war tourism will grow tremendously for the forecast year.

Which Tour type in War Tourism is Preferred More by the Tourists?

As per tour type, “hot war travel” is preferred by tourists more

The most preferred war tourism type is “Hot War Travel” which incorporates the challenges, which the tourists might experience. Hot war tourism is considered an adventure holiday incorporating visits to places where there are the remains of severe damage that happened at places of mass destruction, death, and violence. "Hot War Travel” brings tourists life-changing experiences and here people can encounter the recent death and destruction which is intriguing more tourists towards this type of tourism.

Which Booking Channel do Tourists in the Market Prefers for War Tourism?

Online booking channel brings most of the bookings for war tourism

There are strict norms that are incorporated by the government for the protection of infrastructure of war areas and thus it is less likely that the tourist can have any in-person experience before actually visiting the place. Tourists as prefer online booking before booking the place they can go through the details and description of the place they can also avail of special discount offers available for the group.

Online bookings can be done for travel tickets, hotels and accommodations, stays, and other services availed while on tour. These bookings are done through online portals, airlines, and hotel websites and it is the most preferred booking channel when war tourism is concerned.

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Competitive Landscape

In war tourism, there are existing players in the market, establishing and executing different strategies to cover the entire market bringing to this highly competitive landscape. Players in the market are regulating on keeping various aspects of the services and there is support from these channels ensuring that customers receive the right values for their spending.

  • For instance: Tour operators such as Political Tours, Untamed Boarders, and War Zone Ours offer special travel packages for a tour of conflicted zones to countries such as Iraq, Somalia, Syria, and Israel by providing special packages for those who wish to visit the actual places and watch it with their own eyes.

The indirect players are placing their support to the direct supplier to fulfill the needs of the customer. The increase in trends and the collaboration between the direct players and the indirect players is enhancing the war tourism industry with specialized travel packages.

Scope of the Report

Attribute Details
Forecast Period 2023 to 2033
Historical Data Available for 2018 to 2022
Market Analysis US$ Million/Billion for Value
Key Countries Covered USA, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Russia, India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, United Arab Emirates(UAE), KSA, Italy, Qatar, Oman, ROW
Key Segments Covered By Direct Suppliers, By Indirect Suppliers, By Number of Bookings(Demographic, Nationality, Booking Channel, Tour Type, Age)
Report Coverage Market Forecast, Company Share Analysis, Competition Intelligence, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Threats Analysis, Market Dynamics and Challenges, and Strategic Growth Initiatives
Customization & Pricing Available upon Request

War Tourism Market by Category

By Direct Suppliers:

  • Airlines
  • Hotel Companies
  • Tour Operators

By Indirect Suppliers:

  • OTA (Online Travel Agency)
  • Traditional Travel Agencies
  • TMCs (Travel Management Companies)
  • Aggregators

By Age:

  • Under 15
  • 16-25
  • 26-35
  • 36-45
  • 46-55
  • Over 55

By Demographic:

  • Male
  • Female

By Nationality:

  • Domestic
  • International

By Booking Channel:

  • Phone Booking
  • Online Booking
  • In Person Booking

By Tour Type:

  • Individual travel
  • Professional Groups
  • Group travels

By Country:

  • USA
  • Canada
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Germany
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • Spain
  • Russia
  • India
  • China
  • Japan
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
  • Australia
  • United Arab Emirates(UAE)
  • KSA
  • Italy
  • Qatar
  • Oman
  • ROW

Frequently Asked Questions

How will Global War Tourism Market Grow in the Coming Days?

The global war tourism market is forecasted to grow at a moderate CAGR of 5.5% through 2033.

What could be the Total Value of War Tourism Market Size by 2033?

The net worth of the global war tourism market could reach around US$ 814.2 million by 2033.

Which is the Most Preferred Tour Type for Experiencing War Tourism?

Hot war travel tour types are in higher demand and is preferred by all age groups.

Why the Demand for War Tourism is Growing over the Online Booking Segment?

Booking over online platforms is believed to furnish all important information relevant to tour.

Which Region Dominates the Global War Tourism Market?

Ongoing war in Ukraine has resulted in 29.6% of the global market share as of 2023.

Table of Content

1. Executive Summary | War Tourism Market

    1.1. Global Market Outlook

        1.1.1. Who Is Travelling?

        1.1.2. Travel Gross Bookings

        1.1.3. Travel Gross Revenue

        1.1.4. How Much Do They Spend?

    1.2. Evolution Analysis

    1.3. FMI Analysis and Recommendations

2. Gross Revenue

    2.1. Gross Revenue (US$ Million) and Forecast (2023 to 2033)

    2.2. Number of Bookings (Million) and Forecast (2023 to 2033)

    2.3. Total Spending Y-o-Y Growth Projections (2023 to 2033)

    2.4. Number of Tourists Y-o-Y Growth Projections

3. Growth Parameters

    3.1. Government’s Patronage Towards Contributing to Growth in the Market

    3.2. Tourist Attraction Towards Visiting Battleground is Driving the Market

    3.3. The launch of various programs by the government is building Infrastructure

    3.4. Others (During the course study)

4. Supply to Demand: Today’s Travel Distribution Network

    4.1. Direct v/s Indirect Distribution

    4.2. Travel Gross Revenues, by Channel, 2022

        4.2.1. Supplier Direct

        4.2.2. TMC

        4.2.3. Tour Operator

        4.2.4. OTA

5. Direct Suppliers

    5.1. Total Supplier Market, Share by Segment (%), 2022

        5.1.1. Airlines

        5.1.2. Hotel Companies

        5.1.3. Tour Operators

6. Indirect Suppliers

    6.1. OTA (Online Travel Agency)

    6.2. Traditional Travel Agencies

    6.3. TMC's (Travel Management Companies)

    6.4. Corporate Buyers

    6.5. Aggregators

7. Number of Bookings, 2022

    7.1. By Age

        7.1.1. Under 15

        7.1.2. 16-25

        7.1.3. 26-35

        7.1.4. 36-45

        7.1.5. 46-55

        7.1.6. Over 55

    7.2. By Demographic

        7.2.1. Male

        7.2.2. Female

    7.3. By Nationality

        7.3.1. Domestic

        7.3.2. International

    7.4. By Booking Channel

        7.4.1. Phone Booking

        7.4.2. Online Booking

        7.4.3. In-Person Booking

8. Country Shift, Key Countries in Focus, 2022

    8.1. USA

        8.1.1. By Age

        8.1.2. By Demographic

        8.1.3. By Nationality

        8.1.4. By Booking Channel

        8.1.5. By Tour type

    8.2. France

        8.2.1. By Age

        8.2.2. By Demographic

        8.2.3. By Nationality

        8.2.4. By Booking Channel

        8.2.5. By Tour type

    8.3. Spain

        8.3.1. By Age

        8.3.2. By Demographic

        8.3.3. By Nationality

        8.3.4. By Booking Channel

        8.3.5. By Tour type

    8.4. United Kingdom

        8.4.1. By Age

        8.4.2. By Demographic

        8.4.3. By Nationality

        8.4.4. By Booking Channel

        8.4.5. By Tour type

    8.5. Germany

        8.5.1. By Age

        8.5.2. By Demographic

        8.5.3. By Nationality

        8.5.4. By Booking Channel

        8.5.5. By Tour type

    8.6. Japan

        8.6.1. By Age

        8.6.2. By Tourism Type

        8.6.3. By Demographic

        8.6.4. By Nationality

        8.6.5. By Booking Channel

        8.6.6. By Tour type

    8.7. Singapore

        8.7.1. By Age

        8.7.2. By Demographic

        8.7.3. By Nationality

        8.7.4. By Booking Channel

        8.7.5. By Tour type

    8.8. India

        8.8.1. By Age

        8.8.2. By Demographic

        8.8.3. By Nationality

        8.8.4. By Booking Channel

        8.8.5. By Tour type

    8.9. China

        8.9.1. By Age

        8.9.2. By Demographic

        8.9.3. By Nationality

        8.9.4. By Booking Channel

        8.9.5. By Tour type

    8.10. Rest of the World

        8.10.1. By Age

        8.10.2. By Demographic

        8.10.3. By Nationality

        8.10.4. By Booking Channel

        8.10.5. By Tour type

9. Challenges & Looking Forward

    9.1. Success Stories: Case Studies

    9.2. FMI Recommendations

10. Market Stakeholders Landscape - Key Direct Suppliers

    10.1. Airlines

        10.1.1. Top Players

        10.1.2. Market Concentration

        10.1.3. Market Share

    10.2. Hotel Companies

        10.2.1. Top Players

        10.2.2. Market Concentration

        10.2.3. Market Share

    10.3. Tour Operators

        10.3.1. Top Players

        10.3.2. Market Concentration

        10.3.3. Market Share

11. Social Media Sentimental Analysis

    11.1. Travel Influencers: A New Phenomenon in the World of Tourism

    11.2. Social Media Platforms Preferred

    11.3. Trending #Hashtags

    11.4. Social Media Platform Mentions (% of Total Mentions)

    11.5. Trending Subject Titles

12. Assumptions and Acronyms Used

13. Research Methodology

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