As dark tourism gains traction, some Chinese youth are embracing a related form of experiential travel, paying to confront simulated typhoons, floods, and other disasters while acquiring survival skills.

Also referred to as grief tourism, dark tourism involves visiting sites linked to death, catastrophe, and human suffering. Its origins trace back centuries, including connections to 17th century Britain, where public executions often attracted large crowds.

This phenomenon has surged across Asia in recent years