Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Tools To Persevere Towards A Challenging Goal: Lessons Learned About Grit Along The Way Of St. James, Ana Rita Nunes, Tânia Moreira, Armanda Pereira, Cleia Zanatta, Luísa Mota Ribeiro, Pedro Rosário

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Understanding the factors contributing to increased perseverance and passion toward long-term goals is an ongoing research challenge. The present study explores the inner drive of individuals to achieve meaningful goals over time, despite setbacks and challenges. The scenario chosen to uncover grit processes was the Way of St. James, a long pilgrimage demanding participants’ perseverance and passion for achieving their goals, despite hardship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty-one individuals completing the Way of St. James. Thematic analysis indicated three key themes contributing to improve the participants’ perseverance along the walk: behavioural tools (e.g., setting behavioural and time management goals), …

Development Of Bali Spirit Festival To Support Sustainable Spiritual Tourism, Mohamad Yusuf, I Putu Gede Eka Praptika

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Spiritual tourism has developed significantly through creative activities such as the Bali Spirit Festival in Ubud, Bali. The aim of this paper is to analyse the practice of Bali Spirit Festival and its prospects for supporting tourism sustainability. The research design is descriptive-analytical and based on qualitative data. The data collection was done through in-depth interviews and a study of the literature. The research results reveal that spiritual tourism is oriented toward self-development based on religious values, culture, and nature without being exclusively tied to a specific religion. Further, the principles of spiritual tourism in Bali Spirit Festival can contribute …

Integration Of Islamic Religious Values And Javanese Culture In The Development Of Pilgrimage Tourism In Ngawonggo, Indonesia, Mahatva Yoga Adi Pradana, Darsono Wisadirana, Muhammad Lukman Hakim, Ahmad Imron Rozuli

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Spiritual tourism prioritising religious aspects, is one of East Java’s oldest forms of tourism, especially in Malang district. This form of tourism has long developed since combining Islamic and Javanese values. The concept emerged along with the Indonesian halal tourism brand. As a form of contribution to the development of religious tourism, this study seeks to show the existence of traditional relations in aspects of Islamic pilgrimage as a form of tourist behaviour which involves visiting historical tourism in tourist villages. This research uses a qualitative methods with a case study which includes interviews and participatory observation that aims to …

Nunneries And Pâtisseries: Tourists’ Gastronomic Experiences At Sacred Sites, Diolinda Ramírez-Gutiérrez

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This work traces the experiences spontaneously expressed by travellers who stop at convents throughout Spain to admire their cultural heritage and also to taste their typical pastries. The aim of this study is to analyse the dialectical relationship between the sacred and the profane in heritage and its tourism context, through content analysis and the narrative generated in a social network for tourists. The initial hypothesis is based on possible cultural differences in the characterisation of the experience of visiting these sacred spaces where pastries have been consumed and in the existence of a differentiated pattern association between different levels: …

The Spiritual Migrants Of Sogenji: Notes Of Participant Observation In A Rinzai Zen Temple, Andrei-Razvan Coltea

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Anomie is a cultural pathology that is becoming chronic in the West, characterized by the erosion of values, disintegration and deregulation. Amongst its symptoms we find anxiety, isolation, depression, tribalism, incoherence and loss of meaning. Individuo-globalism is a new ideology that permeates the religious market created by globalisation, encouraging individuals to discover, nurture and express their ‘true self’. This new spirituality forms the background for a journey that our ‘heroes’, a handful of non-Japanese inhabitants of a Japanese Rinzai Zen monastery, have been undertaking for years in search of the philosopher’s stone that could cure anomie and its symptoms. At …

Mapping Pilgrims’ Experience Of Walking The Saint James Way Through The Lens Of Self-Regulation, Clara Vieira, Jennifer Cunha, Ana Rita Nunes, Luísa Mota Ribeiro, Pedro Rosário

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The Way of St. James is a very well-known and ancient pilgrimage, with various routes leading pilgrims to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where the remains of Saint James are buried. Over the last few years, the experience of the pilgrimage and the growing number of pilgrims walking the Saint James Way have been attracting researchers’ attention. However, studies attempting to understand the pilgrims’ experience using a self-regulation lens are limited. Self-regulation may be defined as efforts made to manage individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in the pursuit of long-term goals. Therefore, rooted in the self-regulation framework, …

Roles Of Religious Guides In Tourism: A Qualitative Study From Japan, Ricardo Nicolas Progano

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage travel has become an important element in contemporary tourism, as visitors flock to sacred locations (UNWTO, 2015). However, some aspects of pilgrimage travel remain relatively understudied, with one of them being the roles of guides in these locations. Based on previous academic works, the present study aims to bridge this gap by analysing the role of religious figures who engage in guiding activities aimed at the general public. For this, Shippōryū-ji, a Shugendō temple located in Japan, is presented as the case study. As previous research on the subject is scarce, a qualitative approach was deemed suitable. Utilising interview …

Emotions At The Border: Verbal Aspects Of The Attari-Wagah Patriotic Pilgrimage, Anna V. Bochkovskaya

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

For over sixty years the Attari-Wagah checkpoint at the border between India and Pakistan has been a site for the Beating Retreat, a colorful ceremony of lowering the national flags performed jointly by the Indian Border Security Force and the Pakistan Rangers. This emotional ritual is generally perceived as a demonstration of aggressive designs, on the one hand, and as a symbol of goodwill and possible cooperation between neighbouring countries, on the other.

In recent decades visiting/viewing the border (sīmā darśan) has become an essential part of tourist packages for travellers in North-West India, while the notion of ‘patriotic pilgrimage’ …

Thick Description Of Ashura Rituals In Iran: Case Study Of The Nakhl-Gardani Ritual, Gholamheidar Ebrahimbay Salami, Mostafa Mahmoudi

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

A Nakhl is a huge wooden structure similar to a cypress tree in shape, which on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Iranian national and religious legends is carried ceremonially, symbolising their coffin. The origins of the ritual of Nakhl-gardani go back to ancient Iran and the martyrdom of the legendary hero Siavash. But after the coming to power of the Safavid Shiite government, this ritual was held only to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein every year on the day of Ashura in the arid and desert areas of central Iran, where the cypress trees grow. The present article …

Acceptance Of New Travel Norms Among Potential Umrah And Hajj Pilgrims: An Empirical Investigation, Siti Sara Ibrahim, Mohd Hafiz Hanafiah, Muhammad Azlan Shah Badar

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper investigates how Umrah and Hajj travellers’ needs and wants are influenced by their acceptance (behaviour) of new norms practices (social distancing, hygiene standards, wearing face masks) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cross-sectional survey utilises the purposive sampling method with 216 respondents. Partial-least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLSSEM) was used to confirm the study model and test the hypotheses. Additionally, this study validates the role of age in influencing the new norms of travel behaviour through the PLS-SEM multi-group analysis (MGA). Path Analysis results revealed that psychological needs, safety needs and selfactualisation influence the new norms of …

Pilgrimage Sites As Magnets Of Interfaith Tolerance: The Case Of Kemaliq Lingsar In Indonesia, Suhadah Suhadah, Deddy Mulyana, Pawit M. Yusup, Nuryah A. Sjafirah

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study aims to reveal the practices of tolerance between the adherents of Islam and Hinduism when they were engaged in worship at Kemaliq Lingsar, a sacred religious site which is used as a pilgrimage site where both parties pray and perform religious tourism and rituals. Drawing on the interpretive approach, this study found the wisdom of the two religious communities in Lingsar Village, West Lombok Regency, Indonesia. This area exhibits unique strategies for sharing the same pilgrimage site: two communities performing their respective rituals in turn and in unison in the same space with complete understanding. This tolerance practiced …

The Development Potential For Local Communities Of Religious Tourists Visiting Sacred Graves, Mohammad Taufiq Rahman, Rully Khairul Anwar

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study aims to analyse the impact of religious tourists’ visits to tombs of saints. It illustrates the effect of these visits on the economic development of the surrounding community. This is qualitative research with a sociological approach used to determine the public acceptance of religious tourism to sacred places such as the Tomb of the Islamic Saints in Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia. The results show that the community has made economic use of tourists that perform pilgrimages to fulfil their psychological needs, such as peace, tranquillity, and a sense of security. Furthermore, local governments’ development of religious tourism makes …

Residents’ Perceptions Of Religious Tourism And Its Socio- Economic Impacts On Host Communities: A Study Of Redemption Camp, Mowe, Ogun State, Nigeria, Titilayo Olufunke Olukole

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism has been identified as one of the major tourism types with impacts on the sociocultural and economic life of the host community. Nigeria is well-known globally for high levels of Christian religious activities attracting worshippers from different countries. However, little is documented on the socio-economic impacts of the religious tourist flow to Christian religious sites on host communities in Nigeria. This paper was designed to investigate the socio-economic impact of Christian religious tourism on host communities, using the Redemption Camp, RCCG and Mowe Community, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, Nigeria as a case study. Both quantitative and qualitative research …

Cultural Tourism, Religion And Religious Heritage In Castile And León, Spain, Miguel González-González, Óscar Fernández-Álvarez

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism is a driving force of the economy for many countries around the world. The large number of architectural and intangible World Heritage Sites have consolidated those countries in their strong positions as cultural tourism destinations. Within cultural tourism, religious tourism is particularly prominent. This work focuses on Spain and specifically on some of its regions which lack beaches but possess a wealth of religious cultural heritage, such as Castile and León, which have viewed such heritage as an asset to attract a different kind of tourist. The objectives of this study are to highlight the value of religious heritage …

Social Production And Consumption Of Space: A Lefebvrian Analysis Of The Kumbh Mela, Christine Buzinde, David Manuel-Navarrete, Jyotsna (Josi) M. Kalavar, Neena Kohli

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Kumbh Mela is the world’s largest pilgrimage gathering on the shores of the River Ganges. Drawing on Lefebvre’s (1991) trialectics of space framework, this paper interrogates the spatial dynamics of the Kumbh Mela through the spatial meanings espoused by local and international pilgrims. Accounting for dominant discourses that frame the event as occurring in and around a sacred waterscape, five focus groups with pilgrims were conducted at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, India. The findings indicate that local pilgrims were aware of river pollution, but they used discursive strategies to decouple this material fact from their lived spiritual experiences; from …

The Role Of Spatial Configuration In Enhancing The Environmental Ambiance For Devotional Ecstasy At Temple Towns Of Braj Mandal, Sunanda Kapoor, Vandana Sehgal, Mayank Mathur

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious sites in Braj Mandal, India are visited by millions of pilgrims throughout the year. To meet the growing needs of pilgrims, rapid urbanisation is taking place with the result that there is change in the ancient spatial configuration. This research aims to explore the desired environmental ambiance for enhancing devotional ecstasy. The spatial configuration has been documented through physical mapping and visual preferences have been identified via a pilgrim opinion survey. Conclusions have been drawn regarding the identification of parameters of spatial configuration that enhance the environmental ambience for devotional ecstasy.

Holy Week In Spain: Negotiating Meanings In Tourism Contexts, Antonio M. Nogués-Pedregal

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

What is known as religious tourism has experienced spectacular growth in Spain in recent years. To highlight some aspects of the relationship between tourism and religious practices during Holy Week, this paper describes some occurrences involving processions and itineraries, understanding these itineraries to be social ways of creating symbolic spaces within the city layout. The paper analyses the case of a mature coastal tourist destinations in Southern Spain.

There is general agreement among scholars that tourism produces commodification either through the commercialisation of culture by way of its recreation and inclusion in the category ‘heritage’ or through the invention of …

The Effect Of Covid-19 On Independent African Churches (Iacs) In Johannesburg, South Africa, Constance Nyika, Milena Ivanovic, Kevin A. Griffin

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper explores the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the religious tourism activities of the four most prominent Independent Apostolic Churches (IAC) operating in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is an interpretive qualitative research study based on data from 15 telephone-based semi-structured interviews with congregants and church leaders of the Zion Christian Church, Zimbabwe (ZCC Mutendi), The Apostolic Church of Johane Marange, The Apostolic Church of Johane Masowe and Apostolic Faith Church, Mugodhi. Thematic content analysis was used for data analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the religious tourism activities of all four IACs in the study as they …

Socio-Cultural And Economic Impacts Of Religious Festivals On Sustainable Local Community Livelihoods In Kerala: The Case Of Palakkad, Dr. Bindu V T Nair, Aiswarya Babu N

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Festivals depict the heritage, culture, and traditions of a particular region. They create a state of exhilaration and enthusiasm. Kerala is a state in southwest India with its own distinct culture and traditions. The state is also known for its religious pluralism. This study attempts to understand the perceived impact of religious festivals on the local community livelihoods in Palakkad, a district in central Kerala. Twelve temples in which religious festivals are held annually, with attendance in the range of thousands, were selected. The selected temples are famous for hosting specific religious festivals which attract a large number of visitors, …

Developing Halal Tourism: The Case Of Bongo Village, Gorontalo, Indonesia, Ahmad Izudin, Sriharini Sriharini, Latifhul Khuluq

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism is one of the oldest forms of tourism in Indonesia’s Gorontalo Province, which is rapidly growing to be a halal tourism destination. Such a tourism concept has created new products in the industry. However, limited research has curtailed the potential of religious tourism in Gorontalo. As a contribution to the research on religious tourism, this paper explores of religious tourism as a new method to develop Indonesia’s tourism industry. The study uses qualitative methods to review the potential of religious tourism in Gorontalo. The case study was undertaken with in-depth interviews, documentation, and observation to examine the benefits …

Hajj Pilgrims’ Perceptions Of Trust And Internet Use For (Emergency) Information, Sudha Arlikatti, Hassan A. Taibah, Praveen Maghelal, Simon A. Andrew, Saad A. Alkhurayyif

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This empirical study examines the patterns of internet use during Hajj, with the broader aim of providing suggestions on how organisations can improve risk communication at crowded religious venues using traditional and new media. The research team adopted a convenience sampling strategy to conduct in-person surveys of 348 Hajj pilgrims in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia during the October 2013 season. Of these, 150 pilgrims used the internet and their responses were analysed using simple descriptive statistics and binary regression analyses. The findings of this study suggest that Hajj pilgrims prefer accessing the internet through …

Hospitality On The Camino De Santiago: Clues From Interviews With Hospitaleros During The Pandemic, Berenika Seryczynska, Piotr Roszak, Tomasz Duda

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The practice of making the pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James), one of the three most important medieval pilgrimage routes in Europe, has undergone various transformations related to religious, cultural and political considerations. In 2019, the Pilgrim’s Reception Office in Santiago de Compostela recorded 327,378 pilgrims from all over the world. The aim of this research was to understand the impact of the pandemic on hospitaleros – the individuals who host pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago – and perform a comparative analysis against the hotel industry. In particular, it was noted that in a …

Walking On The Camino Paths: A Spiritual And Biopsychosocial Journey, Ofra Walter

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The Camino de Santiago is an ancient network of pilgrimage routes that lead to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. This qualitative study was conducted to explore contemporary pilgrims’ experiences on the route. I walked the route for 14 days, interviewing other pilgrims about their reasons for taking the journey and their experiences while on it. The methodology thus involved gaining wisdom on two levels: the researcher’s level and the participants’ level. Nineteen people from various counties and of different ages consented to an interview. The participants expressed an interesting mix of biopsychosocial experiences. They mentioned self contemplation and spiritual experiences. …

Representation Of ‘Fractured Memory Regime’ In The Context Of Hasidic Pilgrimages To Uman, Alla Marchenko

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The main goal of this paper is to analyse how ‘memory regime’ (Kubik & Bernhard) could be researched on a local level, using the example of attitudes to Jewish history and Hasidic pilgrimages in Uman, Ukraine. What types of ‘mnemonic actors’ (Kubik & Bernhard) prevail in Uman? Which statements about the contemporary Hasidic pilgrimages are supported by local inhabitants, and how do they reflect positions of the locals in the local memory field? This paper discusses some results of a quantitative survey on local cultural heritage conducted in the frame of the international EU-funded project ‘ReHerit’ in Uman in late …

Bus Line 163: A Public Pilgrim Bus To Rachel’S Tomb In Jerusalem, Mustafa Diktaş

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Buses are networks for both physical and social mobility. They permit people to become part of temporary communities of individuals whose goal is to travel along linear routes, which connect multiple stops and reach certain destinations. Through an ethnographic case study of Bus No. 163, which is designated for Jewish pilgrims traveling to Rachel’s tomb in Jerusalem, this paper focuses on the interactions between travelers that took place on this bus during December 2019 and February 2020. The interactions of people on Bus No 163 helps us better understand this liminal phase of pilgrimage. The findings of the research, as …

Museums And Shrines: Reflecting On Relationships And Challenges, Lorenzo Bagnoli, Rita Capurro

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The aim of this paper is to introduce a method for analysing a specific kind of contemporary tourism positioned between two different traditional customs: visiting museums and going to pilgrimage sites. The case studies provided are focused on Italian shrine museums where it is difficult to ascertain whether visitors are cultural tourists or pilgrims or a combination of both. Regardless, the tourist flows and networks created by Italian shrine museums can provide promising elements for local development. Four case studies that are representative of different regions in Northern Italy and have specific features in common have been chosen: shrines dedicated …

Pilgrimage To Bawakaraeng Mountain Among The Bugis- Makassar In Indonesia: A Contestation Between Islamic Identity And Local Tradition, Mustaqim Pabbajah, Irwan Abdullah, Hasse Jubba, M.Taufiq Hidayat Pabbajah, Zainal Said

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study discusses the contestation of Islamic identity and local traditions of the Bugis-Makassar people in socio-religious life. Tradition contains a belief with form and practices that can still be traced to the present. In this case, the identity of the hajj pilgrimage attached to Muslims has been adapted to the Bawakaraeng Hajj community in the South Sulawesi region. The current research employed a qualitative descriptive approach and field-based data collection techniques by conducting observations and interviews with key informants about the Bawakaraeng community. It was found that the Bugis-Makassar practice of carrying out a series of rituals on the …

The Impact Of A Sustainable Muslim Model On Community Development With Special Reference To Religious Tourism, Tariq H. M. Elhadary

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This paper uses the descriptive qualitative approach to answer questions about how a Sustainable Muslim Model (SMM) could work as a new approach to developing and sustaining communities. This study embraces the textual analysis method to examine the prevailing published research in the context of sustainability and community development. A number of scholars have approved this textual analysis method as a tool to study religious texts.

The purpose of this paper is to give an overview and discuss the status, issues and challenge of community development in tourism. As religious tourism is gaining more ground over time, the need to …

Going Beyond A Pilgrimage: The Feast Day Of Saint George In Lod-Israel, Mustafa Diktaş

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religion and spirituality are common motivations for travel, with many major tourist destinations having developed largely because of their connections to sacred people, places and events. Pilgrimages are one of the most important forms domestic tourism in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. On November 16 of every year, the church of St. George in Lod is filled with hundreds of worshippers who arrive for the Feast of St. George / Khidr, the day commemorating the translation of his relics to the church at the heart of Lod. Pilgrims travel from Nazareth and Bethlehem and as far away as Jordan to …

Carrying Capacity Assessment For Religious Crowd Management - An Application To Sabarimala Mass Gathering Pilgrimage, India, Faisel T. Illiyas, Shibu K. Mani, Naveen Babu

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Crowd Management is always a challenging task when people gather in large numbers. Crowd disasters in India, including recurring incidents at religious venues, demands a crowd management system developed on the characteristics of the place, event, and participants. Assessment of carrying capacity is the prime process to design crowd management protocols and regulations. Carrying capacity assessment of religious gathering venues in India is often an overlooked process. The present study assessed the crowd carrying capacity of Sabarimala pilgrimage, Kerala, India. Physical carrying capacity assessment methods used for tourism venues have been applied and contextualised for crowd carrying capacity assessment. Characteristics …