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Towards A European Governance Framework For Pilgrimage Routes: Challenges, Opportunities And Recommendations, Maria Laura Gasparini, José A. Cortés Vázquez

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Beyond its religious and spiritual traits, pilgrimage is gaining momentum as a sustainable tourism practice, while contributing to several EU priorities, including cultural heritage enhancement, intercultural dialogue, and economic development, particularly in rural areas suffering from depopulation and youth drain. Yet, their potential is hindered by a lack of coordination among the stakeholders involved at interregional and transnational levels, resulting in a far from homogeneous experience along pilgrimage routes. This paper maps out the existing policies and governance frameworks related to pilgrimage in seven European countries (Hungary, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain), identifying gaps between regions and opportunities …

The Impact Of Prophet Ibrahim’S Supplications In The Qur’An On The Flourishing Of Islamic Pilgrimage, Tariq H. M. Elhadary, Razaq Raj

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The supplications of Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) in the Qur’an have had a significant impact on the flourishing of Islamic Pilgrimage and have also provided spiritual guidance for those who visit these sacred sites. Through his supplications, Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) expressed his love for the sacred places associated with the Islamic faith. His prayers for both the visitors and residents of these places, are believed to invoke divine blessings and protection upon them. Prophet Ibrahim’s supplications in the Qur’an also encouraged Muslim pilgrims (often referred to as religious tourists) to visit these holy sites by reminding them of the great rewards …

Increasing The Attractiveness Of Hungarian Religious Pilgrimage Routes, The Case Of Rurallure, Ákos Lencsés, Ildikó Kádárné Kelemen, Ildikó Csepregi, Zsófia Galgócziné Szabó

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The paper discusses the regional variations and attractiveness of pilgrimage routes in Europe, focusing on the Way of Mary. The Horizon Europe project rurAllure aims to use innovative techniques, such as narrative techniques of cultural heritage and mapping non-religious points of interests, to expand the area around the route and attract younger and spiritually-seeking pilgrims. The study introduces the selection criteria, workflow, and technologies used to enhance the tourism experience along the route, exploring alternative route variants and narrative creating techniques. For this, we describe and analyse the data of Points of Interest (POIs), narratives, and recommended trips generated as …

Pilgrimage And Tourism Marketing Concepts, Prospects, And Challenges In Two Developing Countries: Bangladesh And Ghana, Md. Javed Kawsar, Michael Evans, Rashed Khan

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This contextual paper analyses the significance of pilgrimage and tourism marketing concepts, prospects, and challenges in two developing countries, Ghana in the West of Africa, and Bangladesh in the South of Asia. The focus of this study is to assess the present marketing and promotion of tourism in the two countries which are different in population size, economy, and tourism contribution towards each country’s GDP.

Within the context of nature-based tourism initiatives in Bangladesh, it is imperative to measure future prospects of tourism marketing ventures related to pilgrimage. The development of marketing for tourism can be helpful for delivering stability …

Ijrtp Volume 12(Ii) Table Of Contents, Kevin A. Griffin, Razaq Raj, Carlos Fernandes, Ivan Dodig

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

IJRTP Volume 12(ii) Table of Contents

Tourism: A Bridge Between Religions, Deša Karamehmedović

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Interreligious dialogue is crucial for cultural, economic, and social progress, fostering cultural development through activities like tourism. To address misunderstandings and biases, continuous development and promotion of interreligious dialogue is essential. This two-way process emphasises the importance of ‘listening and telling’, while respecting differences. Religious tourism serves as a valuable tool for encounters and understanding among diverse communities. This paper tries to address the question of whether there are for interreligious dialogue in tourism that have yet to be applied and could be implemented? The findings from tourism theory indicate that religious encounters primarily take place in sacred places, sacred …

Connecting Lighthouses To Spiritual Tourism: The Case Of The Hellenic Lighthouse Network, Polyxeni Moira, Paraskevi Kakaroucha

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Lighthouses operate as carriers of cultural value and encapsulate universal connotations. They are harmoniously integrated in unspoilt landscapes, some of which are considered dystopian. Their delicate albeit resilient structure, settled within dynamic geophysical fields, elicits philosophical quests and metaphysical concerns. Lighthouses are connected to narratives of heroism, solitude, self-efficacy and lunacy, with altruistic keepers and divine or supernatural entities starring in plenty of them. Moreover, lighthouses have been associated with religious facilities and rituals for many centuries. Therefore, they attract people pursuing transformative experiences away from mass tourism locations and could unsurprisingly be included in alternative spiritual tourism itineraries.

Greek …

Passion Plays And Their Touristic Utilisation: Authenticity Or Commercialisation?, Dimitrios Mylonopoulos, Polyxeni Moira, Elli Terzoglou

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism development and the economic benefits that come from tourism have led to the increase and revival of religious celebrations and festivals in the form of events and performances, especially during the Holy Week. Many events such as Passion Plays of Jesus, due to their enduring existence in time, ‘authenticity’, particularities, originality and the emotions they evoke, capture the attention of both religious people and tourists. These Passion Plays are specific religious-cultural events that consist of depictions of scenes from Jesus Christ’s passion, following the biblical narrations (e.g. the Teaching, the Passion, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection). According to UNESCO (2014), …

Impact Analysis Of Religious Events: Medjugorje As A Pilgrimage Destination, Igor Stamenkovic, Ivan Dodig, Dajana Vukojević

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Medjugorje is one of the most well-known and attractive pilgrimage sites for Roman Catholics. The phenomenon of Medjugorje is linked to the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to six children, which, according to the children’s claims, began in June 1981, after which this town has become one of the most visited destinations in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tens of thousands of pilgrims attend the International Youth Festival “Mladifest”, a religious gathering that has been going on for more than thirty years. The purpose of this paper is to research and explain how this religious event impacts a …

Urban Pilgrimage On The Roofs: Analysing The Tourism Potential Of Rooftop Shrines In Ginza, Brigitta Pécsek

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The purpose of this research is to contribute to the relaunch of inbound tourism in Tokyo in a sustainable way focusing on rooftop shrines. The centre of this research is the shopping district, Ginza that is full of hidden shrines nestled among and on top of the high-rise buildings. The research aims to find out to what extent tourists in Tokyo are aware of these shrines and whether the ‘Luxurious Ginza’ brand constitutes a barrier to view it as a spiritual space. The mixed methodology used is of qualitative nature, including content analysis of sites, ethnography as well as a …

Dante’S Pilgrimage: Transformation As A ‘Web Of Belief’, Stephen F. Haller

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In Dante’s allegorical pilgrimage to hell and back, he travels through three stages of transformation that are illustrated in his paradigmatic example of identity transformation; namely, Dante’s Divine Comedy. As a pilgrim, he starts out in a state of ‘unease’ (or ‘sin’). Next, there is a ‘solution’ to his psychological disarray, which results in the religious experience of joy. William James has persuasively argued that these are the common features of all religious experiences (1901). Dante is in a stage of his life when he can no longer be reached by argument. This state of mind is described, by the …

Safety First: Unpacking Key Roles Of Arctic Adventure Guides, Barbara Olga Hild, Betty Weiler Professor

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

Building on past research on tour guides and guiding, this paper provides an in-depth examination of the safety management role of tour guides leading adventure trips. A review of previous literature identifies broad dimensions of tour guiding and, within these dimensions, specific guiding roles mainly in relation to communication. The current study’s qualitative examination of experienced Arctic guides, however, illustrates how environmental conditions contribute to near misses and points to safety management as an adventure guide’s fundamental role. The findings highlight the need for guide competence and certification and underpin recommendations for research in relation to guide education and practices …

Understanding The Relationship Between Festival Making Practices And Place : An Investigation Into The Making Of Two Community Arts Festivals In Ireland, Danielle Lynch

Doctoral

Although the importance of arts festivals for places is acknowledged in the literature, there is surprisingly limited understanding of festival making as creative practice, and the manner and extent to which place influences this practice. In recent decades, the global proliferation of art festivals has not been met with a commensurate increase in scholarly or critical examinations regarding their form, function, or content (Merrington, 2016). Indeed, existing studies largely focus on the events themselves and their aftermath rather than the processes underpinning their formation and making (Mair & Smith, 2022). This qualitative study addresses this gap and investigates the dialogical …

Review Of: The Bloomsbury Handbook Of Religion And Heritage In Contemporary Europe, Edited By Todd H. Weir And Lieke Wijnia, Maaike De Jong

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Review of: Weir, T.H. & Wijnia, L. (Eds.) (2023) The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Heritage in Contemporary Europe, Bloomsbury Publishing, United Kingdom, 472 pages, £117 (Hardcover), ISBN: ‎ 978-1350251380.

The Academic Influence Of The Camino De Santiago: A Bibliometric Analysis Of Doctoral Research And Indexed Manuscripts, Silvia Díaz-De La Fuente, Virginia Ahedo, María Pilar Alonso Abad, José Manuel Galán

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The Camino de Santiago is one of the most recognised cultural pilgrimage routes in the world. Notably, its current influence transcends the strictly inspirational and religious aspects, constituting also a socio-economic, cultural, historical, heritage and tourism cornerstone. This paper analyses, from an innovative bibliometric perspective, the influence of the Camino de Santiago on the academic literature in the period from 1980 to the present. For this purpose, two data sources have been used comparatively: manuscripts indexed in Scopus and doctoral theses. The results reveal a growth of its academic relevance in the last decade, especially in indexed publications. The analysis …

Ijrtp Volume 12(I) Table Of Contents, Kevin A. Griffin, Razaq Raj, Carlos Fernandes

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Table of contents for Volume 12(i) of International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Recent Trends In The Development Of Jewish Life And Heritage Tourism In Trani, Italy, Andrea Corsale

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper focuses on the recent revival of Jewish religious and cultural activities in the coastal town of Trani, in Southern Italy, after several centuries of substantial interruption. The specific events which led to the re-establishment of an institutional Jewish community and the restoration and reclamation of the local synagogues, along with the renewed visibility of the well-preserved Jewish district, of Medieval origins, are unique to this case study. However, at the same time, they reflect similar phenomena of restoration of Jewish sites and revival of Jewish communities in southern and eastern Europe, and beyond. As the case study analysis …

Ten-Day Holy Land Tour: Long-Lasting Effects On Protestant Travellers, Sherene J. Hattingh

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This qualitative study investigated the long-lasting effects of an average tour to the Holy Land on travellers of the same faith. Data were collected using written interviews, diary entries, observations and communications at least one year after Protestant travellers returned from their planned trip. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data through the three phases of noting, encoding and then interpreting important aspects. The findings show these faith travellers invested themselves into the trip before, during and after, as part of their committed faith formation. Any faith-based reader would be interested in the results that evidence long-lasting effects for …

Sentiment Analysis In Relation To Jordan’S Churches - For The Promotion Of Christian Pilgrimage And Religious Tourism In Jordan, Malek Bader

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Jordan has many famous tourist destinations of Christian importance, but it is unable to attract many Christian pilgrimage tourists. With churches being the epicenter for Christian pilgrimage tourists, an effort was made to understand the sentiments of the people towards the churches of Jordan. A VADER sentiment analysis was performed on 1,758 tweets after biased data removal and data pre-processing of Twitter data for one year. The results showed that 56% of people had positive sentiments, 27% had neutral sentiments, and only 17% had negative sentiments towards the churches of Jordan. The most frequently appearing words in the total word …

Pilgrim Prioritisation Of Religious Activities: Time Use-Based Behavioural Approach In Iran, Hossein Akbari, Abolfazl Hosseini, Mahla Mohammadi

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The present study investigates the time-use activities of pilgrims at their religious destination. The time diary was used to describe the behaviour of pilgrims who came on a pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad (Iran) in sufficient detail to measure the overall duration and continuous records of activities. According to the findings, pilgrims spend most of their time on necessary and religious activities, respectively. Free time and shopping activities were also among their other activities. Pilgrims were categorised into three clusters: Active Pilgrims, Tourist-Pilgrims, and Non-active or Passive Pilgrims. Active Pilgrims are mostly involved in religious …

Exploring The Activities Of Religious Ministers And Festival Tourism At The Christmas Celebration In St. Lalibela, Ethiopia: A Photo-Based Essay, Dagnachew Nega, Alexander Trupp, Yen Pek Teh

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious festivals represent potential for religious tourism, offering unique cultural and spiritual experiences at destinations. Among the methods for promoting religious festivals as a driver for religious tourism is the use of Photo-based essay tools. While this method is not widely explored in academic research, it holds great promise for tourism and events studies. Photographs have a great value in catching the minds of tourists and creating motivation to travel. This photo essay focuses on the religious ministers at the Christmas celebration in Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Ethiopia. Six photo categories were identified. Each category has its …

Review Of: The Politics Of Religious Tourism, Edited By Dino Bozonelos And Polyxeni Moira, Maria Laura Gasparini

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Review of: Bozonelos, D. and Moira. P. (Eds.) (2023) The Politics of Religious Tourism. Published by CABI, Oxfordshire, UK, 2023. Hardback: ISBN-13: 9781800621718, 248 pages - DOI: 10.1079/9781800621732.0000. Price: EUR 115.00 (Hardcover).

Hospitality Services And The Promotion Of Religious Tourism: A Study Of Redemption City, Nigeria, Elizabeth Abiola-Oke, Timileyin Osiobe

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism is acknowledged as a fast-growing sector within the tourism business, and hospitality services’ role in supporting this growth is important. This study used a quantitative research design to explore the specific function that hospitality services have in promoting religious tourism. Literature study and the distribution of structured research questionnaires to Redemption Resort visitors during monthly programs were the methods adopted for the collection of data. The results show that hospitality services promote religious tourism by providing a safe and comfortable stay, planning religious activities and ceremonies, and providing regional and traditional foods. The study also discusses issues like …

Pilgrimage In The Covid-19 Era: Uncovering Supply Side Challenges And Opportunities In Media Representations, Reni Polus, Ismail Shaheer, Naresh P. Nayak

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage travel, a common practice across major religions, has historically exhibited remarkable resilience to global crises, owing to the unwavering conviction of its followers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant departure from this trend, disrupting pilgrimage tourism, unlike any event since World War II. Despite extensive research on the pandemic’s impact on tourism, limited attention has been directed towards understanding its specific effects on pilgrimage travel. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by pilgrimage tourism suppliers in the aftermath of COVID-19. To obtain a comprehensive global perspective, we collected and analysed …

Business Operators’ Perception Of The Impact Of The Portuguese Way Of St. James, Paula Remoaldo, Eduardo Duque, Vítor Ribeiro, José Cadima Ribeiro, Hélder Silva Lopes, Sandro Ferreira, Cátia Faria

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This research aims to analyse business operators’ perception of the impact of the Portuguese Way of St. James and to assess the landscape situation along a total section of 115 kilometres. Perceptions were collected in a survey of 112 small operators between 2020 and 2021. The diversity and singular components of the landscape make it a pleasant route to experience, where pilgrims have the possibility to improve wellbeing, and enjoy the landscape. Operators have profited from the significant increase in the number of pilgrims walking along the Way and claim that they aim to continue their operations.

Factors Affecting Revisit Intentions At Spiritual-Cultural Tourist Destinations In Vietnam, Vien Van Vu, Cong Chi Le, Thinh Van Nguyen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study explores and tests the different factors affecting the revisit intentions of visitors to spiritual-cultural tourist destinations in Vietnam. A sample of 460 tourists participated in the study, which used AMOS software to test the relationship between the constructs and evaluate their reliability and validity. The research findings confirm that tourist satisfaction helps mediate the relationship between each emotional factor and visitors’ intentions to revisit spiritual-cultural sites. Four factors influencing tourist satisfaction in Vietnam are: (1) individual learning and research needs; (2) personal preference; (3) perceived value of site; and (4) religious belief. The fi ndings from the tests …

Collaboration And Cooperation: A Network Analytic Approach, Rodolfo Baggio, Giovanni Ruggieri

International Journal of Islands Research

The value of collaboration in the tourism domain has been highlighted in numerous works. Coordination of joint activities in tourism destinations is a prerequisite for enhancing the value creation process and providing a good basis for the attractiveness and development of the destination. Destination managers are called to design efficient and effective strategies for improving collaboration in their areas. To do that, they need reliable ways to measure the phenomenon. Traditional methods are reputed to be relatively ineffective for their intrinsic biases. However, network science can provide, instead, trustworthy ways for this task. This paper describes some of the most …

No Time For Tea: Hidden Figures Of The Dutch Tea Industry, Annette Kappert, Lysbeth Vink

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

This paper explores the historical role women played in promoting, distributing, and establishing tea consumption in The Netherlands. Despite being the first nation to introduce tea to the Western world, and the abundance of literature and images documenting women as sapless tea drinkers, languishing their afternoons away, entertaining and sipping the amber brew in their tea houses, the latter is far from reality. Preliminary research indicates Dutch women were instrumental in establishing an elite tea industry in The Netherlands and beyond. Aptly the authors utilized the archives to explore visual and narrative data dating from 1610 to present, to find …

Between Memory And History: Irish Pubs As Sites Of Memory And Invention, Perry Share, Moonyoung Hong

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

The pub has been at the centre of Irish culture and identity for at least two centuries, has become a pillar of the Irish tourism “product,” and an export commodity as thousands of themed “Irish pubs” have been established across the world in the last number of decades, supplementing existing establishments that have served the global Irish community. This paper draws on key themes from the diverse material in our upcoming academic volume on the Irish pub, to be published by Cork University Press, later in 2024. The book brings together contributions from scholars of history, sociology, design, literature, culinary …

Ijir Title Page And Table Of Contents Vol. 4(1), Kevin A. Griffin, Razaq Raj, Giovanni Ruggieri

International Journal of Islands Research

Title Page and Table of Contents for Vol. 4(2023), International Journal of Islands Research