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Miracles Have Subjective Meaning For Religious Travellers, Even If They Are Not Supernatural, Stephen F. Haller

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Miracles still play a role in religious tourism even though it is impossible to distinguish them as divinely inspired, rather than derived from ‘mere’ psychological causes. One might ask whether it matters to a religious tourist or pilgrim that the adoption of a religious attitude to the mysteries of miracles is not grounded in religious belief in the supernatural. Are religious tourists and pilgrims not just inventing comforting illusions in wilful ignorance?

This philosophical paper will relate a few examples of miracles; and explain how the experience of miracles is a subjective experience, and not an objective belief in a …

Ijrtp Volume 12(Iv) Table Of Contents, Ian S. Mcintosh, Dane Munro, Dagnachew Leta Senbeto, Kevin A. Griffin, Carlos Fernandes, Razaq Raj

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Special Issue: Papers Presented at Sacred Journeys 11th Global Conference - Pilgrimage: A Growing Global Phenomenon, Waijun Kaikan Conference Center, Chion-In Buddhist Temple, Kyoto, Japan, July 1-4, 2024

Pilgrimage: A Growing Global Phenomenon - Editorial, Dane Munro, Dagnachew Leta Senbeto, Ian S. Mcintosh

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Editorial and introduction to Special Issue of papers presented at Sacred Journeys 11th Global Conference - Pilgrimage: A Growing Global Phenomenon, Waijun Kaikan Conference Center, Chion-In Buddhist Temple, Kyoto, Japan, July 1-4, 2024

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 …

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 …

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

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 …

Religious Tourism Attractions At Debre Aron Rock-Hewn Church, Meket District, Northern Ethiopia, Tsegaye Ebabey Demissie

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Ethiopia, which has a diverse sacred cultural heritage, has enormous fortunes as far as religious tourism is concerned. Its ancient Christianity has left numerous religious and historical legacies, ranging from architecturally sophisticated sacred monuments to living religious practices. However, the development of these legacies for religious tourism is hindered mainly due to a lack of research and consideration by tourism developers. This study aims to investigate the potential tourism value of Debre Aron Monastery, which is one of the most overlooked religious sites in northern Ethiopia. To this end, the study’s data, which are analysed qualitatively, were collected through literature …

Santuario (Shrines): The Sustainable Religious Tourism Management Of Selected Philippine Congregation-Managed Marian Shrines, Janine Patricia P. Chuajap, Rizyl May C. Diamante, Angela Gabrielle S. Donguez, Francesca D. Metrillo, Chrisalyn O. Miralles, Renz Vincent C. Quicio, Roland D. Mactal, Jame Monren T. Mercado

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study assesses how sustainable tourism management is implemented in selected Philippine Marian Shrines, managed by religious congregations. In conducting the study, the researchers used a qualitative case study approach, as the data were collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The study’s key informants (n=27) are the stakeholders of the two selected study sites. These include the congregation, staff members, tourism-related business owners, Barangay government representatives, local police officers, and local tourism representatives. The Repertory Grid methodology was utilised to analyse the data gathered. From the findings, the researchers developed the I.T.S.P. (Immersion, Tutelage, Stewardship, and Proposition): Sustainable Religious Tourism …

Religious Tourism At Tana Chirkos & St. Kirstos Semra: Contemporary Issues And Prospects For Sustainable Tourism, Dagnachew Nega

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism is not a new phenomenon or new practice. It has recently received considerable attention in both academia and the public at large. However, even though Ethiopia is endowed with a variety of religious tourism activities, its contemporary issues, and future prospects haven’t been utilised, outlined and managed. In the Amhara region, in the South Gondar zone, Tana Chirkos and Kirstos Semra are among the outstanding sites where lots of religious travellers are going and religious tourism activities are held. Thus, this study stands with the general objective of investigating the issues and future prospects of religious tourism development …

Impact Of Globalisation On Religious Tourism: The Case Of Vrindavan, India, Charlie Gupta, Ridhu Dhan Gahalot

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The term ‘religious tourism’ refers to travel that is primarily inspired by spiritual beliefs (Smith, 2012). It serves as one of humanity’s oldest religious practices as well as one of the earliest examples of tourism (Timothy, 2011). Due in the main to the numerous sacred places that are dispersed throughout its vast geographic area, India, which is known for its rich heritage and culture, has attracted attention from throughout the world (Eck, 2011; Singh, 2013). As a result, it has become a well-known location for religious tourism. During the past ten years, this specific type of tourism has seen a …

Exploring Pilgrims’ Perceptions Of Islamic Tour Operators In The United Kingdom: Insights For Improved Services, Shabir Ahmad, Kamran Siddiqui

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In recent years, religious tourism has gained popularity worldwide, with millions of people travelling to different destinations for religious purposes. The United Kingdom has a growing Muslim population, and Islamic religious tourism is no exception. However, little research has been conducted on the pilgrim’s perceptions of Islamic religious tour operators in the United Kingdom. Understanding these perceptions is essential for tour operators to provide better services and attract more customers. The present study aims to contribute to Islamic tourism research by assessing the perceptions of pilgrims toward religious tour operators in the United Kingdom. Employing a snowball sampling technique, this …

Exploring The Conceptual Structure And Perspectives Of Religious-Spiritual And Wellness Tourism Research From The Destination Community: A Bibliometric Review, Priyanka Babu N, Sherry Abraham

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The conceptualisation of specific holistic tourism components (religious-spiritual-wellness tourism) and their influence on community well-being in contemporary literature appears complex and needs to be more specific. This research traces critical developments in religious-spiritual-wellness tourism and their relationship with community by reviewing published literature in the Scopus database from 1990 to 2020 using bibliometric analysis. The literature review includes three sub-areas: descriptive analysis, reference publication year spectroscopy, and network analysis. In demonstrating the trends and evolution, the study focuses on the social, conceptual, and intellectual structures in religious-spiritual-wellness tourism (RSWT) and community. The key findings indicate that the RSWT community is …

Evolving Trends In Sustainable Religious Tourism: A Bibliometric Analysis, Anita Kumari, Pooja Thakur

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

As the world strives to overcome the pressing challenges of sustainable development, the tourism industry, with its substantial environmental and social impacts, calls for renewed attention. Within this domain, religious tourism has emerged as a distinctive and integral component of the sustainable tourism discourse. This study employs bibliometric analysis to examine the growth, key themes, and emerging trends in research on sustainable and religious tourism from the year 2011 to 2022, using the open-access Dimensions database. The findings indicate a continuous and steady growth in the body of literature pertaining to sustainability in religious tourism. The key themes and potential …

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

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Special Issue: Papers Presented at International Conference on Religious Tourism (ICRT-2023), held at the Department of Management Studies, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University Lucknow, (U.P), India, 27-28 March 2023

Exploring The Intention Of Religious Tourists To Use Travel Apps: The Moderating Role Of Digital Privacy, Saumya Chandel, Neerja Rai, Srishti Chaubey, Kushendra Mishra

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Travel applications (apps) are essential tools for contemporary travel activities in the digital age. These are being used more frequently by religious tourists to access information and carry out travel and tourism-related tasks. So, it is essential for businesses associated with the travel sector to understand the intention of religious tourists towards using mobile travel applications. However, there are only a few empirical studies focusing on the factors that may influence tourists to use mobile travel apps. A research framework based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) has been proposed in this study to examine how and to what extent …

Precursors Of Employee Engagement In Travel Agencies To Enrich The Religious Tourist Experience, Shiwani Singh, Dr. Taruna, Jyoti Singh Bharti

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Employee engagement among travel agency employees is integral to the successful promotion of religious tourism. Religious tourism is a niche sector that demands a deep understanding of diverse faiths, cultures, and traditions, as well as a high degree of sensitivity to cater for the spiritual and emotional needs of travellers. Engaged employees possess a profound knowledge of religious destinations, historical context, and cultural nuances, allowing them to offer insightful guidance and recommendations to travellers. Moreover, engaged employees are more inclined to deliver exceptional customer service, by attentively addressing the specific requirements and preferences of religious travellers in ways that resonate …

An Empirical Investigation Of Religious Tourism As A Multiplier For Development, Nivi Srivastava, Namita Nigam, Pankaj Kumar Tripathi

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism, as a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing social, cultural, and economic dimensions has emerged as a driving force behind global socioeconomic development. Within this framework, religious tourism stands out as both a historically significant and contemporary form of travel with profound implications for host communities. Religious tourism refers to trips which individuals or organisations take for spiritual or religious purposes. It is no coincidence that many of the world’s most visited attractions are associated with ancient temples or the sites of miracles. These trips hold religious significance because of the rites associated with it. Pilgrimages and visits to holy sites are …

Perception Of Confidentiality In Fintech Usage Among Religious Tourism Entrepreneurs Of Puri, Durga Prasad Singh Samanta, B.C.M. Patnaik, Ipseeta Satpathy

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The adoption of fintech and digital payments by religious tourism entrepreneurs in India offers various benefits, including improved customer experience, convenience, and increased financial inclusion. By offering digital payment options, entrepreneurs can streamline the payment process, automate tasks, and focus on other aspects of their business. To gather data, a survey was conducted with a sample size of 129 entrepreneurs over a 4-month period. Results showed awareness, attitudes, and usage of fintech solutions. To address challenges, education, training, government regulations, and industry partnerships are recommended. The study’s findings can guide the tourism industry, fintech companies, and governments in supporting fintech …

Exploring The Spiritual Dynamics Of Orthodox Religious Tourism: An In-Depth Study Of Visitor Experience At Osovica Monastery, Ivan Kosta, Anđelina Marić Stanković, Danijel Pavlović, Marija Bratić, Slobodan Čerović

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism is increasingly becoming a significant component of global tourism trends, contributing to a substantial increase in tourist traffic worldwide. This study focuses on analysing the motives, reasons, effects, and expectations of visiting Osovica Monastery, a recently renovated sanctuary of the Serbian Orthodox Church within the Banja Luka Diocese in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through a comprehensive literature review and empirical analysis, this research explores the motivations behind visiting the monastery, the impacts of these motivations on visitor satisfaction, and the factors influencing revisits and positive feedback. Utilising a methodological approach that incorporates both psychological and …

Universal Accessibility On The Portuguese Coastal Way To Santiago In Porto Municipality, Fátima Matos De Silva, Isabel Borges, Marta Arreiol

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

In this article, the authors seek to understand if improvement to the conditions of universal accessibility on the Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago was one of the factors that contributed to the development of this Way and consequently the increase of pilgrims.

To this end, an evolutionary analysis of the number of pilgrims was carried out, which involved a study of the universal accessibility of the Portuguese Coastal Way to Santiago and its religious heritage in the municipality of Porto. An analysis was also undertaken of the guiding and explanatory signage and the elements of innovation introduced, as well as …

The Representation And Definition Of Shinto Within Travel Guidebooks, Pascal Von Beuningen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Japan is a country that is home to polytheistic religions, namely Buddhism and Shintoism. However, in comparison to Buddhism, which is spread widely, Shinto is mainly found in Japan. Thus, foreign visitors are most likely to encounter Shinto and Shinto shrines for the first time when they visit Japan. It can be argued that developing an understanding of the major religion(s) of a country can enhance cultural understanding. However, a clear definition of Shinto is an ongoing debate in Japan and among scholars across the world. Hence, this research tries to understand through Content Analysis of English and German language …

Events, Christian Faith Communities, And The Public Square, Ruth Dowson (Rev.), Daniel H. Olsen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Living as members of a faith community can be problematic in world regions where secularism controls the public sphere. The secularisation of European society, for example, has made it more difficult for religious groups to have a voice in public affairs. However, in many instances, religion has seen a revitalised role in the public square. Even in places where religion is believed to be best served as a muted witness in the private realm, Jews, Christians, and Muslims share a long tradition and heritage of political dissent, such as gathering on street corners to express their faith and their views. …

Strategic Intelligence For Sacred Sites, Pierre Fournie

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The polysemous aspect of pilgrimage constitutes a very old human activity, sometimes religious and alternatively secular, make it a complex matter to approach and handle. The exact number of pilgrims visiting sacred sites remains undetermined, and ranges, according to sources, between 200 and 400 million people yearly (Griffin & Raj, 2017). Pilgrimages are often associated with tourism and generate, in several countries, comfortable amounts of revenue. Public or private companies manage sacred sites and at the same time, areas of services for pilgrims and accompanying persons, and an intense network of shops, places for food and accommodation, grow, sometimes haphazardly. …

Perspectives On Holy Springs As A Religious Tourism Resource: A Comparative Study Of The Baltic States And India, Janis Bikse, Mahender Reddy Gavinolla

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Holy springs played an immense role in religious tourism globally over centuries. It is widely believed that visiting holy springs as part of religious practice symbolises the washing away of sins and enhances ones’ health condition and well-being. Both in India and the Baltic States, a significant number of holy springs have various religious significances. However, over a period of time, due to changes in socio-cultural and political conditions, the use of springs for religious purposes and health reasons has also changed. The aim of this article is to analyse the change in the use of holy springs as religious …

From Food To Religion: Two Case Studies In The South Of Italy, Antonietta Ivona, Donatella Privitera

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This research aims to understand the connection between food and religious events and how they have become a focus of new tourist routes in the ‘year of the restart’, a time period marked by the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of religion and food seems to be successful in attracting tourists in the new scenarios created by the pandemic. The research aims to examine the potential for combining religious tourism with local food to enhance the attractiveness and competitiveness of destinations, using two case studies from Saint Aghata in Catania and Saint Nicholas in Bari, Italy. The findings …

Editorial: The 13th Annual International Religious Tourism & Pilgrimage Conference In Vilnius, Darius Liutikas

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

No abstract provided.