‘Beyond cheap amusement’: Mafia tourism is on the rise but may not be a boon for the mobsters themselves

For me, the adventures are partly professional, and more off the beaten path than most travelers might venture, but Mafia tourism is a way many true-crime aficionados frame their vacations across several countries.

When you’re standing at the site of a bloody Mafia massacre, or the grave of a victim from the 1920s, and they’re covered in fresh flowers, you can’t help but be moved by the tragedie

It is a form of travel becoming more prominent and seemingly more popular.

“There’s no question that much of Mafia tourism is rooted in a morbid curiosity. It’s why we consume so much mob-related pop culture, and why true-crime podcasts rule the internet,” said Carl Russo, the San Francisco-based author of The Sicilian Mafia: A True Crime Travel Guide.

“But if the tour is done right, with respect and accurate context given, it moves beyond cheap amusement. When you’re standing at the site of a bloody Mafia massacre, or the grave of a victim from the 1920s, and they’re covered in fresh flowers, you can’t help but be moved by the tragedies.”

Original Post http://nationalpost.com/news/canada/beyond-cheap-amusement-mafia-tourism-is-on-the-rise