". . . If We Don't Scare You, You're Already Dead!": A Study of Imagery and Language Used on Fright Tourism Advertising

Abstract

In fright tourism, an unusual combination of human emotions such as fun and fear are experienced by tourists through activities such as haunted house visits and ghost tours. This study explores advertising materials for fright tourism attractions, including how business owners design them, and how potential visitors respond to them. The study aimed to examine how fright tourism attractions use text and images to convey the emotions customers may experience at the attraction, and affective response generated in visitors to these advertising materials, specifically tourist brochures. Data were obtained through interviews with business owners of fright tourism attractions and focus groups of potential visitors to discuss fright tourism advertising brochure design, and determine what affective responses were intended and subsequently generated (or not) by the tourism brochures. Findings from the research include that emotions and feelings are ambiguous terms that are often used interchangeably, and generic horror imagery is often used to communicate emotions through fright tourism brochures; however, perceptions of horror are highly subjective. This study helps broaden our understanding of the emotions experienced at fright tourism attractions, and how those emotions can be communicated through advertising materials.