Tourism and Travel Commons^™

Exploring The Motives Of Religious Travel By Applying The Ahp Method – The Case Study Of Monastery Vujan (Serbia), Sanja Božic, Bojana Spasojević, Miroslav D. Vujičić, Igor Stamenkovic

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism is considered as the oldest form of people’s travel. Thousands of years ago people travelled miles led by religious motives. Even though pilgrimage is older than most of the other tourism forms, research on the major motives for religious travel still occupies scientific attention. Vujan Monastery represents one of the main riddles among religious tourism researchers in Serbia. After the mysterious healing of Serbian Patriarch Pavle in 1946 who suffered from tuberculosis, this monastery became one of the most famous sacred places for orthodox Christians. The principle aim of this paper is to propose a new way for …

Demographic Characteristics Influencing Religious Tourism Behaviour: Evidence Form A Central-Eastern-European Country, Anna Irimias, Ariel Mitev, Gabor Michalko

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Although religious tourism and pilgrimage have been widely studied there is very limited research that explores the peculiarities in attitude and behaviour among tourists with different demographic factors. The present exploratory study enhances the discussion on perception of religious tourism behaviour. Specifically, eleven statements on attitude and behaviour were explored among 345 Hungarians with different socio-demographic backgrounds. The results show that there are significant variations between senior and young travellers: seniors see as important, the educational purposes and feelings of national identity related to sacred sites while these are less motivating for the young. The frequency of participating in religious …

Interfaith Tourist Behaviour At Religious Heritage Sites: House Of The Virgin Mary Case In Turkey, Zafer Öter, Mehmet Yavuz Çeti̇nkaya

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study questions selected behavioural aspects of travellers belonging to different religious beliefs during their religious heritage site visits. Tourist behaviour needs to be analysed in specific circumstances. This study aims to clarify in situ problems experienced by religious tourists, behavioural differences of tourists with different beliefs, and religious tourist behaviour regarding cultural heritage site protection. A qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews has been followed. Documentary analysis provided secondary data. On-site observation and face-to-face interviews with key-informants provided primary data. Snowball (referral) sampling was applied as non-probability sampling was convenient for data collection. Primary data suggest that visitor behaviour tends …

Vol. 4(Iv) Title Page And Table Of Contents

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

The Role And Usage Of Apps And Instant Messaging In Religious Mass Events, Juan Narbona, Daniel Arasa

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Over the last few years, large events have conferred great importance on Event Management, or the management of mass meetings. In the religious sector, for centuries, pilgrimages have been a clear example of mass events of a spiritual nature. Due to globalization and increased mobility, recent times have seen the multiplication of international events without a fixed location: Taizé encounters, Kumbh Mela (India), and World Youth Day are all good examples of this. These events imply at least a threefold spiritual, organizational and touristic challenge, and success in each one of these areas contributes to the favourable result of the …

The Efficacy Of Heritage Interpretation At The Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches In Ethiopia: Exploring The Need For Integrating Ict-Mediation, Rayviscic Mutinda Ndivo, Lorenzo Cantoni

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The inscription of a property in the World Heritage List serves as a recognition of its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). Such recognition gives visitors the expectation that visiting the site would be a unique experience that would fulfil their visitation goals. Need therefore exists to ensure quality heritage interpretation at the particular World Heritage site. This is both beneficial to ensuring adequate presentation of the site’s OUV and visitor satisfaction. This paper seeks to investigate the level of visitor satisfaction with heritage interpretation at the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela one of the most visited attractions in Ethiopia. The study is …

The Role Of Tourists’ Feedback In The Enhancement Of Religious Tourism Destinations, Stefania Cerutti, Elisa Piva

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Over the last few decades, tourism has faced several challenges and opportunities mostly related to the tremendous rise of online social networks and tourist platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, TripAdvisor, etc.). The revolution brought about by Web 2.0 (or Travel 2.0) has radically changed the behaviour of tourists, who are now able to access information rapidly and to contribute in generating information to share with other users. The advent of the Internet has forced destinations to transform themselves to be more interactive, innovative and efficient as the online consumer is more active, demanding and in control. As a consequence, online reviews …

Pilgrims In The Digital Age: A Research Manifesto, Silvia Deascaniis, Lorenzo Cantoni

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Editorial : Information And Communication Technologies In Religious Tourism And Pilgrimage, Silvia Deascaniis, Lorenzo Cantoni

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Vol. 4(Iii) - Cover And Table Of Contents

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

The ‘Candle Of Nazareth’: Feast, Devotion And Tourism In Para (Brazil) O ‘Círio De Nazaré’: Festa, Devoção E Turismo No Pará (Brasil), Terezinha Filgueiras Pinho, Gilson De Lima Garofalo

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This contribution analyzes the ‘Círio de Nazaré’ (‘Candle of Nazareth’), one of the largest Catholic religious events, both in Brazil and the world, which takes place on the second Sunday of October in Belém, the capital of the state of Pará and the metropolis of the Amazon. The paper deals with economic advancement and integration by bringing together religious devotees from Para, Brazil and abroad, fostering the growth of trade. Devotees enjoy the beauty offered by the state and the party mobilizes more than two million people, lasting about three weeks. It includes the opening, transfer of the image of …

Religious Rites And Ceremonies As The Expression Of Local Identity And An Opportunity For Local Development: The Case Of The “Fòcara” Di Sant’Antonio Abate” In Novoli (The Bonfire Of St Anthony Abbot) In A Small Town In The Salento Peninsula In Southern Italy, Anna Trono

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious ceremonies play an important role when understood as an opportunity for improving the image of a city, improving the socio-economic situation and promoting regional development. These are the objectives of the local administration in Novoli, a small town in the Salento peninsula in Puglia, south-eastern Italy. The most important religious, social and tourist event of the year in Novoli is the feast of Saint Anthony Abbot, which falls on the 17th of January. The festivities continue for many days and include religious rites, street lights, exhibitions, food stands, popular music and brass band concerts, markets and conferences. There are …

Monitoring The Tourism Impact Of A Cultural And Religious Event: A Case Study In Northern Portugal, Carlos Fernandes, Carla Melo, Marta Cardoso

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The Pilgrimage of Our Lady of the Agony (Romaria de Nossa Senhora d ́Agonia), in the north of Portugal, draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. Fernandes and Sampaio (2014) suggest that through the years, this event has served to connect residents and visitors alike with the heritage of the region in which the Pilgrimage has become what is arguably one of the biggest regional icons. However, no field research has ever taken place to confirm these claims.

In 2014, a pilot study was carried out using a questionnaire as a basis to evaluate the impact of this event in various …

Event As Spiritual Pilgrimage: A Case Study Of The ‘Cherish’ Christian Women’S Conference, Ruth Dowson

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In examining an aspect of the eventization of faith (Pfadenhauer, 2010), this article considers an annual women’s conference, ‘Cherish’, a church-led event. Due to the pressures on the space available in its former home in the organising church’s campus, the growth in the event’s popularity has resulted in the church organisers moving the event venue to a commercial arena. The research questions the extent to which this popular conference meets the criteria of the academic characteristics of pilgrimage, and aims to clarify to what extent the thousands of women who attend the Cherish conference experience the event - and their …

English Cathedrals: Events And Spiritual Capital, Simon Curtis

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper investigates the recent trend for cathedrals in England to develop a wider and more ambitious scope to their event and activity programmes. It sets out to explore the types of events now hosted at cathedrals, to consider barriers to such ambitions and the opportunities presented by event programming to develop new audiences and grow attendances. The research focuses on the 42 Anglican cathedrals of England and has involved a review of recent reports published by church and cathedral organisations, supported by an in-depth review of event activity and objectives at five selected cathedrals in southern England.

Despite declining …

Religious Events And Their Impacts: A New Perspective For Religious Tourism, Jennifer Laing, Warwick Frost

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Vol 4(Ii) - Cover And Table Of Contents

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews Vol. 4.1., Carlos Fernandes

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Shrine Pilgrimage (Ziyārat) In Turco-Iranian Cultural Regions, Mehdi Ebadi

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Academic studies, dedicated to various aspects of religiously motivated travel have increased steadily, especially in recent years. Despite the huge amount of publications related to tourism and religious pilgrimage, there is still a gap between abstract theory and empirical research. Studies devoted to pilgrimage in the developing countries generally, and Islamic regions in particular are rather few in number in spite of its socio-economic importance and widespread practices. The present work tries to address this relative lack of attention and will shed more light on the tradition of shrine pilgrimage (known as ziyārat) in Turco-Iranian cultural milieu that is almost …

The Relationship Between Religious Tourism And Individual’S Perceptions (A Case Study Of Hazrat Data Ghanj Bakhsh’S Shrine), Ummara Fatima, Sundas Naeem, Farhat Rasool

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism as an industry has become one of the rapidly flourishing sectors in the world economy. It has experienced a continual evolution, and expanding ‎diversification over the last few decades. Religious tourism is one of the ancient types of tourism, i.e. travel entirely and intensely motivated for religious reasons. Specifically talking about Pakistan in business and research circles, religious tourism has recently been accepted as a thriving segment. This paper investigates the relationship between religious tourism and individuals’ perceptions at Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh's (HDGB) Shrine. For this empirical study, a survey method, primarily of Likert Scales is used. The …

Self Discovery And Backpackers: A Conceptual Paper About Liminal Experience, Amanda Evangeline Ting, Christian Kahl

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Little is known about ‘liminoid’, the state of ‘suspension’. However, every backpacker definitely passes through it, to journey from one transitional state of mind, to arrive at the next level of social status; Crossing the threshold between childhood to maturity, peace to war, singlehood to marriage and from being spiritually lost to found. Inspired by Victor Turner’s (1969) significance of the ‘betwixt and between’ level which he named liminal, this paper aims to explore the process of backpackers’ self-discovery by seeking the means of travel through states of cultural rituals, transcendental meditation, adventure and recreational activities. Findings in the literature …

Ritual Journeys In North America: Opening Religious And Ritual Landscapes And Spaces, Daniel H. Olsen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The religious landscape of North America is different from other regions of the world in that not only is there a lack of a highly visible religious elements, but also the idea and practice of pilgrimage and ritual travel is not as pervasive as in Europe and Asia. However, there are many human-built and natural spaces marked by Roman Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, Indigenous peoples, and members of other faiths which are subject to either formal or informal pilgrimage-like travel. Visits to these sacred sites have intensified with the rise and expansion of tourism after World War II, conflating pilgrimage-like travel …

Religious Tourism And Italian Sacred Mounts: Experiences Of Networking And Co-Operation At A Unesco Site, Raffaella Afferni, Carla Ferrario

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

A Sacred Mount is a historical holy site and former pilgrimage attraction. It is a devotional complex located on a mountain, and composed of a series of chapels and shrines in which scenes from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary or the saints are represented through paintings and sculptures. In 2003 the Sacred Mounts of Piedmont and Lombardy were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List being considered as representative of something that can be understood, in part, through visitor interactions with the areas in which they are located (see Di Giovine, 2009:208).

The visitors to Sacred Mounts are: …

Volume 4(I) Title Page And Table Of Contents

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.

Derby Cathedral As A Beacon: The Role Of The Church Of England In Tourism Management, Peter Wiltshier

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In this research, the role of the Cathedral is as a beacon inspiring and guiding community development. Good practice case studies in community collaboration, like the Cathedral's, are perceived as central and critical to the success of regeneration and development.

The philosophical approach used engages the paradigms of community development (Moscardo, 2014; Ness, 2014; Goodson and Phillimore, 2012; Gilchrist and Taylor, 2011). A bottom-up, endogenous approach to development is perceived to deliver unique selling points to the community. An exogenous and centralist approach is perceived to deliver standardised outcomes that may not encourage actors to develop distinctive and special features …

Analysing Accessible Tourism In Religious Destinations: The Case Of Lourdes, France, Ariadna Gassiot, Lluís Prats, Lluís Coromina

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Accessible tourism and religious tourism are normally treated separately. Even so, curative shrines can be defined as places where these two types of tourism are especially co-habitual. Behaviour of both religious tourists (Battour, Battor, & Bhatti, 2013; Nolan & Nolan, 1992; Rinschede, 1992) and of people with special access needs (Burnett & Baker, 2001; Figueiredo, Eusébio, & Kastenholz, 2012) has been analysed before. However, the behaviour of visitors with special access needs in religious sites has not been analysed yet. This study aims at exploring whether there are differences in motivations and perceived value of tourists with special access needs …

International Voluntourism As Secular Pilgrimage: A Case Study Of Hosts And Guests In A Small Panamanian Town, Laura Desfor Edles

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In this paper, I discuss the social dynamics of international ‘voluntourism’ in Santa Catalina, a small town on the Pacific coast of Panama that has become a tourist mecca in the last two decades. Through my collection of documentary, interview, and ethnographic data, I contribute to on-going debates about the appropriateness and impact of volunteer tourism in developing countries (McGehee 2009, 2012; Palacios 2010; Tomazos and Butler 2012). While existing research tends to focus on the volunteers, here I focus on the complex relations between the volunteers and the ‘voluntoured’ (local Panamanians). My preliminary research shows significant parallels between secular …

Pilgrimage, Spiritual Tourism And The Shaping Of Transnational ‘Imagined Communities’: The Case Of The Tidjani Ziyara To Fez, Johara Berriane

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper aims at analysing the role of the transnational Tidjani pilgrimage to Fez in shaping a sense of belonging among West African adepts and their identification with Morocco. It is based on the assumption that the Tidjani pilgrimage has contributed to the shaping of a religious ‘imagined community’ (Anderson, 1996) encompassing West Africa and Morocco and to the reinforcement of the position of Fez as its ‘socio-cultural centre’ (Cohen, 1992). This paper explores the different historical and political factors that contributed to the evolution and maintaining of the Tidjani pilgrimage practice and to giving sense to it, and analyses …

Religion, Local Produce And Sustainability At Religious Sites In Hungary, Alan Clarke, Ágnes Raffay

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

There is a growing awareness of sustainable practices at religious tourism sites and we have observed this in Hungary, with the focus shifting from one aspect of sustainability to incorporating all three major aspects, the environmental, the economic and the socio-cultural (Rees and Wackernagel, 1996). Although the economic aspect used to be predominant (Shackley, 2001; Mangeloja, 2003) now we can find more examples of practices that aim to promote socio-cultural sustainability, while taking the natural environment also into account (Tanguay et al, 2010).

Several religious tourism sites have started to offer local produce in their souvenir shops and to incorporate …

Conceptualizing Mosque Tourism: A Central Feature Of Islamic And Religious Tourism., Kristel Kessler

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The increasing size of the worldwide Muslim population and the modernization of Arab countries on the international scene reinforce the rising trend of Islamic Tourism. Indeed, Islamic Tourism has gained much interest in recent years and is considered to be a very promising niche in the near future. This fairly new concept can simply be defined as intra-Muslim and intra-Arab tourism and considering Muslim countries are an emerging tourism market, this is a product with significant economic potential. It is also viewed as tourism that respects Islamic religious principles and is consequently referred to as “Halal Tourism”. In addition, it …