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The Covid-19 Pandemic And Religious Travel: Present And Future Trends, Daniel H. Olsen, Dallen Timothy

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has had dramatic effects on both the health and economic stability of countries around the world. While several scholars and media commentators have suggested that the pandemic would be a good time to reset an unsustainable tourism system, left out of these discussions has been the impacts on religion and religious travel. The purpose of this paper is to review the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on religion and religious travel, including the tensions that have arisen between religious communities, governments and health officials. The paper then discusses potential futures regarding religious travel in a …

Precautions Taken Against The Covid-19 By Presidency Of Religious Affairs In Terms Of Hajj And Umrah Pilgrimage: The Case Of Turkey, Onur Akbulut, Yakin Ekin

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The gathering of people in a concentrated manner within particular spaces / places has become a serious issue during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Mass gatherings of individuals seem to be investigated intensively by researchers both in these days and will be further in the forthcoming years. Religion-oriented gatherings are of great importance because they have spiritual motivation for the ones who practice them. For many participants, these gatherings are essential at least once in their life. As is seen from its very nature, religious motivation is one of the most potent subjects to be considered in terms of mass gatherings. …

Covid-19 And Religious Tourism: An Overview Of Impacts And Implications, Raheel Yasin Mr, Junaimah Jauhar, Noor Fareen Abdul Rahim, Sarah Namoco, Mohammad Saleh Enaizan Bataineh

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism and its allied industries (airline and hospitality) have been hit hard by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) globally. This paper specifically explores the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on religious tourism and aims to enhance the literature; it also aims to provide a path for future research work, in particular empirical research or future research that covers the effects of this pandemic on destinations. This paper is built on the fusion of news published by different news agencies to support an overview of related literature on religious tourism and tourism management. This paper confirms that COVID-19 has affected religious travellers …

Padre Pio, Pandemic Saint: The Effects Of The Spanish Flu And Covid-19 On Pilgrimage And Devotion To The World’S Most Popular Saint, Michael A. Di Giovine

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In the Catholic world, pilgrimages and other devotional rituals are often undertaken to foster healing and well-being. Thus, shrines dedicated to saints are particularly relevant in times of pandemic. Pilgrimage to the shrines associated with 20th century Italian stigmatic, St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, known as one of the Catholic world’s most popular saints, is particularly informed by this notion, as Pio is understood as a healing saint thanks to the spiritual and corporal works of mercy that marked his ministry during his lifetime, as well as belief in the miraculous nature of his relics. Pio’s hometown of Pietrelcina and …

Virtual Pilgrimage In A Time Of Pandemic: Lessons From The Shrine Of Our Lady Of Walsingham, Susan M. Dunn-Hensley

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The COVID-19 pandemic has already cost billions to those in the tourist industry. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), this pandemic is ‘by far the worst crisis that international tourism has faced since records began’ in 1950. People who rely on the pilgrim trade are similarly suffering. In this short exploration, I argue that the success of virtual pilgrimage and the history of pilgrimage’s adaptability suggest that people’s appetite for pilgrimage will experience a resurgence once local and national governments lift travel restrictions. In order to assess the future of pilgrimage, I will consider the popularity of …

Covid-19 And Social Distancing Implications For Religious Activities And Travel: The Case Of The Serbian Orthodox Church, Danijel S. Pavlović

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The COVID-19 pandemic affects people’s everyday way of life. International tourism is one of the most affected activities today, since one of the key measures in the strategy of keeping control over the new pandemic is preventing closer human contact. This includes restricting and discouraging the movement of people towards tourism destinations. These measures have caused major problems for the tourism industry and no form of tourism has been spared. The COVID-19 outbreak, as a real threat to public life and health, has established a new measure as a mandatory condition in everyday life globally - called social distancing. This …

Pandemic Lockdown In Kerala: Vishu And Thrissur Pooram Festivals, Yadukrishna Puthanparambil Radhakrishnan

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper reflects on the impact of Covid 19 lockdown in India on religious festivals. Two Hindu religious festivals in the state of Kerala namely Vishu and Thrissur Pooram are addressed here. Both festivals are immensely popular and close to the heart of the Malayali Hindu and non-Hindu communities alike. Rather than focusing on the economic impact, the emphasis here is on the socio cultural and psychological impact that it has had on the community. The nature and spirit of these festivals differ from one another which has helped or worsened the impact for the festival lovers. Due to the …

Covid-19 Pandemic: Risks Facing Hajj And Umrah, Razaq Raj, Dino Bozonelos

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The two major gatherings of Muslims which take place in Makkah and Madinah, the two holiest cities of Saudi Arabia, are umrah during Ramadan the 9th month and Hajj Dhul-Hajjah in the 12th month of the Islamic year. The COVID-19 outbreak has had a massive economic and social impact on pilgrimages for Muslims - because these gatherings could lead to widespread exposures and possible spread of COVID-19 to every corner of the world, it forced the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to cancel Umrah in March 2020. The pandemic has also prompted the Saudi government to limit Hajj, with some exceptions, …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Religious Activity In Malta, Vincent Zammit

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The unexpected COVID-19 pandemic that struck the world has negatively affected all kinds of everyday activities. Besides the effects that this pandemic has had on the economy, social life and political scene, it has affected religion in various ways. The effects on religion are manifold. The immediate regulations issued by the local government for social distancing, the prohibition of mass gatherings, and the closure of all religious places has disrupted all aspects of everyday religious life. Meanwhile, tourism has suffered immensely, and this has also negatively impacted the international aspect of religious tourism. The negative impact on religion is wide …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Religious Tourism And Pilgrimage To The Holy City Of Karbala, Hadil Faris, Kevin A. Griffin

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism and pilgrimage around the world have changed dramatically in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, thousands of sacred placed closed their doors; religious leaders appealed to their followers not to perform their spiritual or pilgrimage journeys for their own and others safety. The holy city of Karbala, like any other sacred place is affected by the pandemic; every year, the holy city of Karbala witnesses the convergence of millions of pilgrims, being among the most important pilgrims for Shia Muslims. Of particular importance for these pilgrims is Ashura, which marks the day that Hussain bin Ali, the grandson of …

Saint Nicola’S Feast In Bari: Before And After Covid-19. A Short Reflection, Antonietta Ivona, Donatella Privitera

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This research note has three primary goals. First, it seeks to analyse the field of religious tourism in terms of the impact of the health emergency caused by Covid-19. Second, it offers knowledge of religious tourism in Bari with its San Nicola patron feast that reflects key areas of academic insight into the religion–tourism nexus. Third, it synthesises perceptions of devotees, locals, tourism professionals and spiritual guides using the method of photography as a research technique. As a result of this reflection, the paper will show that faith and the inner experiences of the pilgrims will remain while religious tourism …

Strategic Role Of Religious Tourism In Recuperating The Indian Tourism Sector Post-Covid-19, Parikshat Singh Manhas Dr., Bipithlal Balakrishnan Nair

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study explores the role of religious tourism in revitalising the Indian tourism sector post-COVID-19, with a focus on domestic tourism. This study is guided by the interpretive paradigm and operationalised through Faulker’s (2001) model of crisis management. Expert opinions and secondary data sources (newspaper articles, magazines and media reports) were used as the data sources; these were collected through purposive sampling techniques to obtain information-rich and context-specific samples. The results reveal that religious sites could play a substantial role in reviving the Indian tourism sector by promoting staycations and micro-holidays, and by reforming existing projects such as the Swadesh …

A Discussion Of The Practical And Theological Impacts Of Covid-19 On Religious Worship, Events And Pilgrimage, From A Christian Perspective, Ruth Dowson (Rev.)

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This article explores the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 on the worship services and events of Christian communities. Focusing on the UK in terms of practice, the research includes early pandemic examples from a range of Christian traditions and denominations, as well as relevant cases from other countries. The Christian church organisations considered range from the extensive world-wide reaches of the Roman Catholic Church, to international Protestant denominations such as the Anglican Communion, and to independent non-denominational groupings and local churches. This paper considers the ways in which churches are coming to terms with the impacts of this …

The Impact Of Coronavirus On Religious Tourism: Is This The End Of Pilgrimage?, Maximiliano E. Korstanje

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The present paper, attends to the theme of COVID-19 and its negative effects on the tourism and pilgrimage industries. To be honest, although conclusive findings on this topic are premature in view of the velocity of facts, no less true seems to be that COVID-19 reaffirms a tendency originally stipulated just after 9/11 and declaration of the War On Terror by Bush’s administration. COVID-19 not only has shocked the world cancelling international flights, closing borders and airspaces, making irreparable damages to tourism and hospitality but it has operated on a much deeper level, developing a culture of fear, where ‘other’ …

Crisis Management And The Impact Of Pandemics On Religious Tourism, William Mosier, Tariq Elhadary, Ismail A. Elhaty, Mehdi Safaei

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused a worldwide shockwave of fear and much misinformation leaving chaos in its wake. Holy shrines and other religious sites have a special place in the hearts and minds of many people. For example, the mosques in Makkah and Medina, Saudi Arabia typically accommodate over one hundred thousand Muslims daily. Due to the spread of COVID-19, both mosques were forced to shut their doors to pilgrims for health and safety reasons. This situation has saddened millions of Muslims all over the globe. The same situation applies to Qom City in Iran, Bethlehem …

Reflecting On The Impact Of Covid-19 On Religious Tourism And Pilgrimage, Razaq Raj, Kevin A. Griffin

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

COVID-19 is devastating the religious tourism industry in terms of economic, social, food, employment and faith related impacts. Pilgrimages are being stopped, and mass gatherings are halted. We are in middle of a very difficult time for the religious tourism industry and this has become a major concern for governments around the world. The leading nations such as USA, UK, Italy, Spain, Japan, Russia, Germany and China are struggling to control the COVID-19 pandemic. We are facing the biggest test of the tourism industry in over half a century, one which has exceeded the downturn of the 9/11 terrorism attacks. …

Volume 8(Vii) Table Of Contents & Editorial, Kevin A. Griffin, Razaq Raj, Carlos Fernandes

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Pilgrim’S Motivations: A Theoretical Approach To Pilgrimage As A Peacebuilding Tool, Sílvia Aulet Serrallonga

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper will explore the relationship between pilgrimage and peacebuilding. Studies on peace refer to three dimensions: peace from a personal dimension and spiritual sphere; peace from a social dimension and; peace from an environmental dimension (Sánchez Sánchez & Fernández Herreira, 1996). The connection between pilgrimage and peacebuilding starts with the individual quest of pilgrims; however, can be explored in the other two dimensions. The experience of pilgrimage and the pilgrims’ quest for inner peace can enhance a respectful attitude towards people and places. Through interviews and observation on two pilgrimage routes in Spain (the Camino de Santiago and Camino …

A Shared Pilgrimage Road In Israel And Palestine: From Utopia To Reality, Vitor Ambrósio

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Most pilgrimages on foot are not a journey undertaken for comfort. Pilgrims going on foot are challenged in multiple forms. Probably to have the physical energy to accomplish the distances of each pilgrimage day is a common goal, also having time to reflect and to meditate is a common characteristic, independent from each pilgrim’s religious belief. Along the Way pilgrims live ‘slow’ experiences, involving themselves with what surrounds them. In those occasions, for most pilgrims, there is an opportunity for better understanding the importance of living in peace in a common world.

Having in mind the Israeli-Palestinian geographic area, the …

Jewish Tourism To Malta: A Nostalgic Pilgrimage?, Vincent Zammit

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The good air transport links with most major European cities and Malta, has led to an increase in tourists from all over the world. This has also led to an increase in tourists of the Jewish faith. These tend to be mainly coming from North America, and the cultural tours that are planned for them, always provide a number of visits to Jewish related historical and cultural locations. The itineraries that are planned make sure that the Jewish heritage on the islands is visited. What are these locations that attract the attention of Jewish visitors to Malta?

The earliest mention …

Religious Pilgrimage: Experiencing Places, Objects And Events, Ruth Dowson (Rev.)

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This article explores the concept of the Eventization of faith (Pfadenhauer, 2010) through application of three case studies, to identify learning that might be applied to a traditional pilgrimage destination, such as Jerusalem. This Holy City is held sacred by the three Abrahamic religions, and faith-based tourism is central both to the Holy Land and to the city of Jerusalem (Leppakari & Griffin, 2017).

This paper builds on research that identifies processes and models that provide insight into the developing concept of the eventization of faith. The work examines outcomes from three different perspectives:

- The impact of traditional church-led …

Day Tripping In Jerusalem: The Curious Case Of How Russian Orthodox Christians Became The Same-Day Religious Tourists In The Holy Land, Dino Bozonelos

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Christians have emerged as an overlooked sector showing unexpected growth among same-day religious tourists to the Holy Land. How do they come to total over 200,000 unique guests and make up 91.5% of all single-day visitors to Israel when they come from so far away? Researchers need to rethink first what constitutes same-day religious tourism. Marketing mechanisms attract Russians and Ukrainians to Cyprus, and then facilitate opportunities to sample religious heritage sites in nearby Israel. Together this sequence comprises a specific causal chain which triggers one-day, round trip excursions from the Cypriot coast for an hour-long …

Motivation For Muslim Travellers To The Holy City Of Jerusalem, Razaq Raj

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper discusses and explores empirical and personal insights into religious tourism and pilgrimage, exploring it from a Muslim pilgrims’ perspective, reflecting on characterisations and motivations and discussing the sacred Journey of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from the Holy Mosque (Makkah) to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Travel is important for Muslims. Indeed, it was during the journey of Miraj that Allah ordered Muslims to pray the five daily prayers.

The concept of Islam is not merely praising Allah (SWT). Islam also means to serve society according to the directions of Allah (SWT) and the teachings of his final Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH). …

Ijrtp Title Page Editorial And Table Of Contents Vol. 8(6), Rev., Dr. Maria Leppäkari, Razaq Raj, Vincent Zammit

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Botanical Tour Of Christian Art At The National Museum Of Ancient Art (Lisbon, Portugal), Luis Mendonça De Carvalho, Francisca Maria Fernandes, Maria De Fátima Nunes, Miriam Lopes, Maria Vlachou, Paula Nozes, Ana Maria Costa

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Christian works of art, from the middle XIV to early XIX centuries, were studied in order to contribute to a new perspective of the cultural history of plants in Portuguese and European art displayed at the National Museum of Ancient Art (NMAA). The symbolic use of trees, leaves, flowers and fruits in painting, sculpture and tapestry were compared with theological data from the Bible, Apocrypha Gospels and codes of symbols from the XVII to XX centuries, as well as pictorial data from academic literature and photographic databases. We found 40 botanical taxa used as symbols that aimed to reinforce moral …

Relocated Pilgrimage: An Artistic Via Dolorosa In The Heart Of Amsterdam, Lieke Wijnia

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The route of the iconic Stations of the Cross is not only connected to physical locations of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, but is also manifest in Catholic churches, processions, and passion plays, as well as heritage sites and shrines around the world. A twenty-first-century relocation of this pilgrimage is the international project Art Stations of the Cross. With the aim to offer artistic reflections on social injustice, each station is represented by an artwork especially located in a heritage site. Presented as a journey of contemplation, the 2019 edition took place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In this article, participant …

Too Much Light: The Art Of The Hero’S Journey (Photo Essay), Karen Adler, Teresa Mclaren

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

We live in an age in which spiritual searching and seeking is more common, particularly among the youth. The need for answers and solutions to a world in danger of dying, of a society in which corruption and decay are so transparently obvious, leads many on paths which are dangerous and uncharted. The metaphor of journey, the practice of pilgrimage, the art of navigation, all contain the notion of process and movement rather than stagnation. They provide us with tools to not only emerge whole from experiences which have the power to break and shatter us but to provide maps …

Mount Banahaw’S Enigma Of Power: A Personal Reflection On Signs And Symbols At The Santa Lucia Complex, Katherine B. Arceta

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In the Philippines, Mount Banahaw in Quezon province is a pilgrimage site for locals and believers alike. Considered a holy mountain or even a ‘new’ Jerusalem in a mystical sense, people flock to its forested sacred sites or puwestos. The objectives of this study are (1) to identify signs and symbols within the sacred space of Mount Banahaw; (2) to explain how signs and symbols within the mountain are able to convey various religious meanings to the worshippers and; (3) to understand how pilgrims derive and interpret the meanings associated with these signs and symbols. The author retraces a pilgrim’s …

Representing And Performing Pilgrimage In A Comic Book: On The Camino, Lucrezia Lopez

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Over the last few decades, comic books and graphic novels have become valid literary sources within the humanities and social sciences. This paper addresses a new creative and performative artistic expression of the European pilgrimage route the Camino de Santiago in Spain through examining the autobiographical graphic novel On the Camino, written by the Norwegian cartoonist Jason (2017), which introduces a new way of sharing pilgrimage experiences through combining pictorial and literary devices. Here, the focus is on the dynamic paradigm that arises beyond the ‘fixed sequential images’ in the graphic novel and the role of readers in the spatial …

“This Trip Is Very Meaningful To Me, So I Want To Remember It Forever”: Pilgrim Tattoos In Santiago De Compostela, Christian Kurrat, Patrick Heiser

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Pilgrim tattoos have come into fashion: in Santiago de Compostela, the destination of all Ways of St. James, tattoo studios are springing up and in social networks, corresponding photographs can be found more and more often. In this paper we present the results of a survey of pilgrims who have been tattooed after their pilgrimage (N=256). It turns out that certain symbols and body parts are particularly popular among pilgrim tattoos. The tattooing practice of pilgrims also depends strongly on age, nationality and previous tattoos. The central features of the pilgrimage itself, on the other hand, have only a weak …