Cemeteries stand for much more than just spaces for conducting funerals. They are sites of remembrance, open-air museums, and an extremely important part of our cultural heritage. Within their grounds, valuable information is stored, enabling the exploration of the culture, art, architecture, and history of a specific place, local community, and, ultimately, the nation as a whole. As such, they are intriguing tourist attractions, offering a unique experience for both domestic and foreign visitors. Despite the rapid development of cemetery tourism throughout Europe, its planning, implementation, and promotion represent significant challenges. In both academic literature and practice, it is often equated with dark tourism, which creates a prejudice that there is something strange, negative, or even inappropriate about this form of tourism. Additionally, negative perceptions associated with cemeteries are frequently deeply rooted in local culture, religion, and customs. This master's thesis addresses the issue through a case study of Pobrežje Cemetery in Maribor, which, with more than 140 years of tradition, represents an important part of the city's historical and architectural identity. Based on in-depth interviews, insights were gained into the general perceptions of relevant stakeholders regarding cemetery tourism and their opinions on why cemetery tourism at Pobrežje Cemetery is not developing to its full potential.
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