Can negative dark tourism transformative experiences promote tourists’ well-being?

Drawing on identity development theory, this study examines the relationships between negative dark tourism transformative experiences (NDTTEs), self-reflection, self-rumination, self-discovery, and well-being to corroborate a model explaining how NDTTEs contribute to tourists’ well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 684 tourists who had visited dark tourism sites over the past three years. Two constructs representing NDTTEs were identified (anger and disgust, pain and sadness), and the results indicated that NDTTEs were predictors of self-reflection and self-rumination. Unexpectedly, self-reflection negatively affected self-rumination. Self-reflection and self-rumination were determinants of self-discovery, which subsequently affected well-being. This study offers a new theoretical lens for understanding the role of dark tourism in promoting tourists’ well-being.