Goodbye Ghost Tour, Hello True Crime

The popularity in true crime has created a niche industry for touring crime scenes
By Gina Carey,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 26, 2025 5:00 PM CST
The Rise of the True Crime Tour
Amber Dawson narrates a true crime tour in Memphis. The tour, started by local company Historical Haunts, takes visitors around the city to see locations crime has taken place.   (Christine Tannous/The Commercial Appeal via AP)

The ever-growing true crime genre has now tipped into another industry: tourism. As the Washington Post reports, walking and bus tours that visit crime scenes are a growing trend in cities, giving aficionados a glimpse into the history of famous cases. A sampling of these include a mob boss walking tour in New York City that stops at haunts frequented by the Gambino crime family, and a "Cream City Cannibal" tour in Milwaukee walking in the footsteps of Jeffrey Dahmer. The story cites a stat explaining the trend: A 2024 YouGov poll found that 57% of US adults indulge in true crime content, with the majority (60%) being women. Podcasts are a common source.

Amateur detectives also participate in a type of true crime tourism—but in the hopes of solving cold cases. "It really makes a difference in the way you think about these cases, and I find it very helpful as you try to get into the head of the perpetrator," Kevin Allen of North Carolina tells the newspaper. He recently traveled to Springfield, Missouri, to better understand a famous missing women's case known as the Springfield Three.

And there's always the question of whether these activities sensationalize the horror of crime. "It's really dark, depressing material, and you're retelling these stories for hours throughout a week," Tim McAleer, operator of The Philly True Crime Tour, tells the Philadelphia Tribune. "It's a balance. We always ask ourselves, 'How do we shed the best light on the city.'" (More true crime stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X