‘Dark tourism’ trend sees visitors flock to world’s most dangerous country

A high threat of terrorism and kidnapping is not deterring people from visiting this country as a “dark tourism” trend takes off.

For years, this country has been deemed one of the most dangerous places to travel — yet tourists keep coming.

Libya has struggled through decades of unrest after NATO-backed forces killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Since then, the battle to take power has raged on between rival groups from the east and west of the country.

The fighting has led many countries to label the country unsafe for tourists to visit, but that hasn’t stopped some bold adventurers from joining the “danger tourism” or “dark tourism” trend.

The US has issued a Level 4 — the highest — travel advisory against travelling to Libya, warning of “crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping and armed conflict”.

The UK government also “advises against all travel” to the African country while an update from the Australian government last week stated: “We’ve reviewed our advice and continue to advise do not travel to Libya due to the dangerous security situation and the high threat of terrorism and kidnapping. If you’re in Libya, you should leave as soon as possible if it’s safe to do so. Due to the ongoing unrest, our ability to provide consular assistance to Australians in Libya is severely limited.”

Soldiers stand guard in the city of Zawiya, Libya, on January 5, 2025. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua via Getty Images)

However, Libya attracts close to 100,000 international tourists every year, Travel and Tour World reported.

Recent developments and possible stabilisation have pushed some places, like India, to ease travel restrictions and some travellers claim to have visited Libya without any anxiety or issues.

“We felt safe the whole time there,” said Hudson and Emily, content creators who visited Libya in 2024.

The couple travelled with a bodyguard who was “very serious about his job” and even went into the bathrooms with them. Despite the extra precaution, they enjoyed their time admiring the ancient ruins and UNESCO World Heritage site of Leptis Magna, the “beautiful” city of Tripoli and the “super friendly people.”

But that doesn’t mean it’s a safe spot.

Last May, a British tourist was held for seven hours at gunpoint at an army checkpoint in Libya.

People walk on the newly refurbished Martyr's Square in the Libyan capital Tripoli on April 4, 2025. (Photo by Mahmud Turkia / AFP)

Daniel Pinto, 26, arrived in the country on May 29, 2024, and spent 21 days travelling — because it was a “mysterious” place he wanted to see.

He describes himself as a “danger tourist” and has been to Iran, Iraq and Syria. But this time, his tour hit a snag when he was detained for hours at gunpoint by the army. He didn’t explain how he got out of the situation, but didn’t seem to too shaken by the “scary” situation by the time he shared his story.

Pinto and others who have ignored travel advisories to visit countries deemed unsafe are part of a growing number of travellers skipping piña coladas and seeking a thrill.

Travel experts have said they’re seeing increased interest in visiting the sites of natural disasters, mass murders or other events or situations in which something bad has happened.

This article was originally published by the New York Post and reproduced with permission