This was an interesting term I came across in a news story from Germany today. “Corpse tourism” was the term they used to describe how a new culture for transporting bodies hundreds of miles (and sometimes across borders) is revolutionizing the funeral industry in Germany.
It seems that the trends that are sweeping across the United States, where consumers are demanding cheap cremation services, are no different across Europe. The story quotes the chairman of the Union of German Undertakers as saying “Price is very important. Many of the bereaved are now more careful with money.”
This story gained mainstream attention after a van used to transport bodies to a crematorium was stolen near Berlin. The van containing 12 corpses was later recovered in Poland. This story echoes with a resonance of the story earlier this year from Dispatches in the UK, where Cooperative Funeralcare were exposed storing bodies in a warehouse on an industrial estate.
The funeral industry is largely resistive of the shift towards cremation and discounted services “blaming tight-fisted relatives for driving down costs”, when in reality they are not listening to their customers. People are voting with their feet and demanding less expensive death care.
In the US we do not need “corpse tourism”, there are already many funeral homes now offering budget cremation options. Our DFS Memorials members all guarantee to offer a basic, direct cremation for between $495 and $1,395. Many of the providers serving metro areas will even cover a wider geographical area to assist rural families access affordable death care.
Find your nearest affordable cremation provider NOW with DFS Memorials!
