Tourism Commons^™

K2) A Pilgrimage Site As A Votive Offering: The Cases Of The Giant Statues Of Mar Charbel In Faraya And Hammana (Lebanon), Nour Farra Haddad

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Lebanon is located at the extreme east of the Mediterranean Sea and sandwiched between Syria and Israel/Palestine. What make this small country different from the others in the region are the close distances between the mountains, the sea and the green landscapes in the middle of deserted plains as well as its religious diversity with eighteen different communities.

The constant evolution of sacred geography in Lebanon testifies to the importance of Christian and Muslim religious markers in the landscape. The different communities have never stopped developing and building churches, monasteries, mosques, maqams and oratories. We have also seen that in …

K1) Understanding The Role Of Constraints In A Religious Destination - A Text-Mining Approach, Ariadna Gassiot Melian, Silvia Aulet Serrallonga

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Precedents of inclusive tourism research are linked to analyzing the lack of participation of individual in different activities. Consequently, the exclusion of individuals in different experiences because of different reasons was described and addressed. Thus, one of the most important elements in accessible tourism research is tourism constraints. These can be defined as inhibitors and determinants of travel behavior.

It is widely known that individuals with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by constraints (Smith, 1987). These constraints can affect their behavior in multiple ways, such as preventing them from engaging in certain activities (Crawford, Jackson, & Godbey, 1991), influencing their preferences …

K4) Family Pilgrimage To Rome For The Jubilee Year, Kevin A. Griffin, Patrick Donnelly

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This paper brings together two connected, yet seemingly unrelated strands of research. The first portion of the paper considers the Catholic Jubilee Year, 2025, its significance and related pilgrimage activities that are facilitated in Rome at this important time. The paper briefly outlines the theological and biblical significance of this special year of reconciliation and forgiveness which occurs every 25 years and draws millions of international pilgrims to Rome.

While seemingly entirely different, the second theme to be explored in the paper is the concept of Family Pilgrimage. According to Jenkins and Roszack (2023), the vast majority of pilgrim literature …

K3) Religious Tourism In A Key Textual Perspective: Spiritual Authenticity And Cultural Heritage, Ninfa Pagano, Walter Spezzano Aulet Serrallonga

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Over the last few decades religious tourism has emerged as a growing, relevant sector in international tourism industry. It is estimated that approximately 300 million visitors per year go on pilgrimages and the global number continually increases (Syngh & Bhuyan, 2024).

The purpose of the present study is twofold: first, as major pilgrimage destinations strategically employ tourism discourse (Dann, 1996; Maci, 2020), this paper critically examines English tourism discourse as used on the official website Jubilee 2025. Second, it investigates how religious tourism itineraries, promoted on the website, are discursively framed to engage international visitors (Wodak & Meyer, 2015). Indeed, …

L4) Sacred Or Sold? Balancing Spirituality And Commercialisation In Pilgrimage And Faith-Based Tourism, Tadeja A. Jere Jakulin, Dane Spezzano Munro

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This study adopts an interpretivist paradigm, framed by systems thinking and grounded in ethnographic methodology, to examine the role of Marian pilgrimage souvenirs in the intersection of faith, commerce, and material culture at the pilgrims’ sites of Malta, Lourdes (France) and Brezje (Slovenia). The choice of these approaches is dictated by the nature of the subject itself: sacred souvenirs are not merely objects but elements within a larger network of belief, ritual, economic structures, and pilgrimage dynamics. An interpretivist approach is necessary to account for the subjective and constructed meanings assigned to these souvenirs by pilgrims, shopkeepers, and religious institutions. …

L3) Do Religious Travels Transform Visitors And Affect Their Psychological Well-Being? A Study On Turkish Pilgrims Visiting Mecca, Nuray A. Turker, Sibel Spezzano Ayyildiz

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Transformational tourism is a concept that emphasizes the personal and spiritual growth that travelers can experience through their journeys, particularly in the context of religious or spiritual trips. Religious journeys can significantly influence travelers, affecting their perspectives, beliefs, and overall life trajectory. These experiences foster reflection, encourage deep immersion, and create a sense of connection to the divine, which can lead to meaningful lifestyle changes. The transformative potential of such trips highlights the importance of understanding tourism not just as leisure activity but as a path to personal and communal development. This research aims to explore the transformative impact of …

J4) Regenerating Responsible Tourism - Conceptual Framework In Context Of Religious And Spiritual Destinations, Tomasz Duda, Anna Gardzinska

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

In the times of global challenges related to excessive tourist activity, environmental degradation, and the commercialization of sites of particular cultural and religious significance, the need for a regenerative approach to tourism is still growing. Responsible tourism, based on the principles of sustainable development and respect for local values, is an important element of this transformation. The aim of this presentation is to develop a conceptual framework for regenerating responsible tourism in the context of religious and spiritual destinations.

The study includes a literature review on responsible tourism, sustainable development, and regenerative management strategies for sacred sites. Based on qualitative …

I1) Territorial Development And Religious Tourism: A Bibliometric Analysis, Salvatore F. Iannolino

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The connection between religious tourism and territorial development is rooted in the enhancement of places of worship, spiritual itineraries, and local traditions, which serve as catalysts for the socioeconomic and cultural regeneration of regions (Cerutti & Piva, 2015; González-González & Fernández-Álvarez, 2022). This type of tourism is characterized by a strong sense of identity and the ability to activate often-overlooked endogenous resources such as abbeys, sanctuaries, hermitages, and devotional routes (Azevedo, 2021). Promoting this form of tourism within a territory stimulates the local economy through the development of a tailored hospitality system, craftsmanship that caters to the needs of pilgrims, …

I2) Managing And Promoting A Religious Route: A Pilot Project Experience In Sicily (Italy) - The Itinerarium Rosaliae, Susanna F. Gristina

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Religious tourism is a rapidly growing sector with significant economic and cultural impacts worldwide, with 330 million people undertaking religious journeys each year. In Europe, Italy leads in this field, with religious routes playing an essential and expanding role in boosting tourism and local economies, driven by increased interest in spiritual and cultural pathways. Recognising the important contribution of religious paths to economic growth in the areas - often rural - that they pass through, the Italian Ministry of Tourism has allocated funds and created a national catalogue of religious routes to support their maintenance, management, and promotion. This is …

J2) Impact Of Tourism On Corsican’S Religion, Pierre-François Marchiani

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

In the 60s Corsica underwent a transformation with the rise of tourism and a new influx of population. Since then, the importance of tourism on the island has only increased to reach in 2023, 3 millions visitors, for only 350.000 inhabitants, and 39% of the Corsica’s GDP . The sheer volume of visitors is having a real impact on the Corsican way of life, not only economically but also culturally and perhaps religiously. At least that’s what we’re going to question in this communication.

9 out of 10 Corsicans claiming to be Catholic, quite quickly the Church of Corsica took …

J1) Virtual Reality And Multifaith Pilgrimage: Assessing The Impact Of Vr Technology On Religious Tourism Across Different Traditions, Md. Javed Kawsar, Rashed Khan

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Religious tourism has traditionally been a deeply immersive, physical experience, drawing in millions of pilgrims to sacred sites across different faiths. However, with advancements in Virtual Reality (VR) technology, religious tourism is evolving to offer virtual experiences of these sacred spaces. VR's potential to make sacred journeys more accessible, especially for individuals facing physical, financial, or geopolitical barriers. While VR enhances interfaith understanding and can complement traditional pilgrimages through immersive and educational experiences, it raises critical questions about spiritual authenticity, theological legitimacy, and ethical use. However, VR is not a full replacement for physical pilgrimage due to its limitations in …

I3) Monastic Botanical Gardens: Medicinal Plants, Cultural Heritage, And Tourist Routes, Dimitrios Mylonopoulos, Polyxeni Moira

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

From the dawn of humanity, man have sought remedies for various illnesses and health issues in the natural environment. Herbal medicine has been at the forefront of humanity's therapeutic pursuits since the beginning of time. The natural environment, of which humans are a part, constitutes the first laboratory for the production of medicines. Medicinal botany can be traced back to ancient Greece, continues in ancient Rome, is closely linked to Islamic tradition, and persists through the rise of Christianity in monasteries, enduring to the present day.

Today, the use of herbs in monasteries remains alive and well preserved. Monastic botanical …

J3) The Use Of Ai-Based Eye Trackers In Catholic Sanctuaries: A Possible Contribution To The Study Of Pilgrimage Experiences, Marco Papasidero

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The advent of AI has opened new avenues of research, one of which is the recent study of human gaze in Catholic churches and shrines (Ruozzi, Papasidero 2024). As part of the activities carried out within the PNRR ITSERR project (www.itserr.it), this paper aims to present the results of research conducted thus far in four sanctuaries in northern Italy: the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bismantova in the Diocese of Reggio Emilia; the Sanctuary of Sts Pellegrino e Bianco in Alpe in the Diocese of Lucca; the Sanctuary of St Maria della Vita; and the Church of Sts Vitale and …

I4) A New Era Of Empowerment: Muslim Women’S Solo Religious Travel To Saudi Arabia After Vision 2030’S Groundbreaking Reforms, Ola Naim Omar Ismail Hajjaj

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Since the declaration of Saudi Vision 2030 in 2016, the country has undergone significant and transformative changes, including reforms aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women across various sectors including religious tourism, represented by Hajj (pilgrimage) and Umrah. One of the most historical and impactful changes is the elimination of the requirement for women to have a male guardian/companion (mahram) when visiting Saudi Arabia (SA) to perform religious tourism, enabling them to travel independently. This policy shift, implemented gradually between 2019 and 2022, not only empowers women but also supports Saudi Arabia’s broader goals of increasing tourism, modernizing its …

Keynote 3: The Future Of Religious Tourism And Pilgrimage: At The Intersection Of Sustainability, Silva Goretti

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Religious tourism, encompassing pilgrimages and spiritual journeys across diverse faith traditions, has emerged as a significant contributor to global tourism. Although exact numbers may vary according to different sources, recognition of its contribution to local development is widely acknowledged, as well as its resilience, even during economic downturns. The Bethlehem Declaration (2015) acknowledges these potentials, encouraging policies that develop religious tourism in ways that ensure community participation, socioeconomic benefits, and balanced visitor experiences. However, while presenting unique opportunities, religious tourism also poses significant challenges to sustainability due to the ecological footprint of mass gatherings, physical degradation of sacred sites, waste …

G2) Religious Tourism Experiences, Heritage And Digitalization: An Italian Case Study, Donatella Privitera

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

New technologies play a crucial role in sharing knowledge about religious heritage with tourists and local communities, particularly in geographically marginal areas. Digital tools can be employed in two main ways to enhance sensory experiences at a destination: (1) by actively stimulating one or more senses through technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), haptic devices; and (2) by organizing and disseminating information about available sensory experiences using applications, virtual guides, and interactive maps. Digital innovations not only facilitate access to information and knowledge about heritage but also introduce new experiential dimensions. From a supply-side perspective, they help …

G1) Virtual Religious Tourism - An Agenda For Future Research In The "Ai Revolution", Eleanor O'Keeffe, Ruth Dowson

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Developments in contemporary society that resulted from initial lockdown phases of the COVID-19 pandemic have continued as the world discovers new ways of living and engaging with others. The changes that disrupted social interactions around the globe impacted on spiritual and religious practices in diverse cultures. A major innovation in the pandemic was the increased use and production of virtual pilgrimage. This introduced new ritual producers to virtual pilgrimage, created new partnership opportunities, and engaged a far wider audience, creating a potentially significant cultural site of intergenerational, transnational, and multi-cultural action and exchange. Virtual pilgrimage is now a rich and …

H2) The Exploration Of Tourists’ Motivation Of Religious Sites Visitation In Destinations Less Popular In Religious Tourism, Po Man F. Tse

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Religious attractions have been playing a critical role in tourist destinations. Most of the studies focused on exploring the motivation of tourists visiting sacred destinations where the religion is originated. Yet, little is known on the motivations of tourists visiting religious sites in destinations that are less popular for religious tourism (Tse & Ho, 2019). Besides, relationship between motivation and place attachment is crucial to the development of destination, tourist management and the design of marketing strategy (Ogunjinmi et al., 2019).

Motivation is the driving force that arouses and influences travel behaviour (Prayag & Lee, 2019), which also affects tourists’ …

G4) Unveiling The Potential: Exploring The Role Of Waqf In Catalysing Islamic Religious Tourism Growth, Tariq Elhadary, Razaq Raj

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This paper explores the proportional relationship between Islamic waqf and the growth of tourism, with a specific emphasis on Islamic religious tourism. Islamic waqf refers to the endowment or charitable trust established under Islamic principles, aimed at promoting religious, educational, or social welfare activities. Over the centuries, waqfs have played a crucial role in supporting various institutions and initiatives within the Muslim world. Tourism, as a global industry, has witnessed significant growth in recent years. With the rise of Islamic religious tourism, which caters to the specific needs and interests of Muslim travellers, there is a need to examine the …

H3) The “Tradition” Of The Torchlight Procession Of Solferino (Fiaccolata Di Solferino)., Mara F. Dissegna

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This paper describes a case study of a “pilgrimage”: the Red Cross (RC) torchlight procession of Solferino. This “tradition,” born twenty years ago, represents a fundamental moment of the RC-RC Movement year after year, bringing thousands of members worldwide to Castiglione delle Stiviene yearly. It is vital because many members from around the globe return to the origins as a refreshment of the movement's principles memory. The “fiaccolata” goes from Solferino (RC Memorial) to Castiglione delle Stiviere. It represents the way of the people who, after the battle of Solferino (2406/1859), brought almost all wounded soldiers from the battlefield to …

H1) ‘Clothesure’: How A Pilgrim’S Clothes Can Become ‘Sacred’ And Contribute To Narrative Identity, Stephen F. Haller

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This paper provides the story which explains how pilgrim-identity is created and endures through the clothes they wear; and why pilgrims are reluctant to throw their clothes, boots, and gear away preferring instead to dispose of them ceremoniously; for instance, burning them.

We understand our lives as stories. Narrative is what unifies a life, and chapters of that life, into a whole, with a beginning, middle and end. The choices of what to link together into a story are what makes meaning out of that which would otherwise be a random collection of events. Stories come to an end, which …

H4) Developing Faith Based Visitation For Malta A Pilot Project For A Quality Tourism Experience, Julian Zarb

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The concept for developing faith-based visitor experiences has emanated from the principles of community-based tourism, first researched by Peter Murphy (1986). Since 1958, these islands have attracted visitors for sun and sea holidays, normally at the peak between June and September, although there have been attempts over the past twenty years to offer opportunities during the “shoulder” months. The type of visitor during the “shoulder” months has varied from the MICE business visitor to the visitor coming to these islands to attend some concert or theatre presentation. Some visitors have been interested in the culture and heritage, although this is …

Keynote 2: The Rebirth Of The Santiago Way As A Model And Parameter For The Creation Of Cultural Itineraries, Paolo Caucci Von Saucken

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The revival of pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela was driven by a complex set of factors that converged and solidified in the second half of the twentieth century. Chief among them was the role of the Catholic Church and the regular celebration of Holy Years, proclaimed whenever July 25th—the feast of the Apostle James—falls on a Sunday. Each occasion, supported by modern and effective means of communication, has served to rekindle and promote the pilgrimage to Compostela. A pivotal moment in this revival was the declaration of Pope John Paul II during the Holy Year of 1982, in which he …

F2) Seeking Zion: Motivations Behind Latter-Day Saint Pilgrimage-Like Travel To Religious Heritage Sites, Daniel H. Olsen

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

This presentation examines the motivations behind pilgrimage-like travel among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) to religious heritage sites such as Palmyra, Nauvoo, and Salt Lake City. Although LDS doctrine does not include a formal theology of pilgrimage, these journeys fulfill spiritual, social, and pedagogical functions that align closely with traditional pilgrimage frameworks. Drawing from the interdisciplinary fields of pilgrimage studies, religious tourism, and Latter-day Saint theology, this research conceptualizes LDS heritage travel as a form of modern, constructed pilgrimage grounded in processes of place-making, memory, identity, and faith reaffirmation.

Through qualitative synthesis of existing …

E3) Developing A Model For Religious Tourism Governance: Comparing The Soumela Monasteries In Turkey And Greece, Dino Bozonelos, Nuray Turker

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The growth in religious tourism, through people of faith and cultural tourism, is in contradistinction with the global decline in religious attendance. While many increasingly secularized individuals are less involved with organized religion, the desire for spiritual experiences has continued. This leads many to travel to sacred sites, valued for their authenticity. This growth necessitates good governance when it comes to sacred destination sites. But what does good governance actually look like when it comes to religious tourism and pilgrimage? How does this occur when the sacred space serves the needs of multiple visitors, including pilgrims, religious tourists, and cultural …

F1) Hermitage And Digital Storytelling: A Case Study For Sustainable Visitorship, Antonio Lenzo

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Hermitage and tourism may appear to be potentially unrelated, even antithetical. And yet, hermitage practices, both historical and current, have often elicited a strong attraction for the movement of people towards rural areas especially in the context of pilgrimage and religious tourism. While in some cases this activity has led to overtourism, storytelling related to hermitage practices may also be pivotal in the fostering of sustainable tourism practices.

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Monte San Giorgio, at the border between Italy and Switzerland, presents a long-standing history in which the movement of people has been heavily shaped not only …

E1) Revisiting The Bocaue Pagoda Tragedy In The Philippines: Personal Reflections And Lessons Learned Thirty Years After, Katherine Arceta

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

The Bocaue Pagoda Festival has been celebrated annually in the Philippine province of Bulacan since the 1850s to honor a miraculous event in history, where a local woman was saved from drowning in a river by holding onto a floating cross. Since then, the fluvial parade, which consisted of ceremonial barges held every first Sunday of July, steadily gained popularity and attracted pilgrims from within and outside the locality. On July 2, 1993, however, an unfortunate event struck when a large pagoda carrying hundreds of pilgrims and devotees sank due to overloading that resulted in the deaths of 266 people. …

E2) Killing Bali (Part Ii), Pierre Fournie

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Tourism is growing and growing fast. Before the pandemic, in 2018, the number of arrivals worldwide reached 1.4 billion arrivals from less than 600 million, twenty years earlier. In Indonesia, after being elected in 2014, former President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance of tourism, considered as a strategic sector. It had to become the largest exchange currency contributor bypassing rubber, coal, oil and gas.

In the collective awareness of tourists, Bali remains the place to go. International visitors praise the beautiful landscapes and paddy fields of Bali, the uniqueness of its Hindu and Buddhist cultures. In 2018, the “island of …

F3) From Religious Sites To Cinematographic Sets. The Symbolism Of Religious Cultural Heritage In The Italian Serie “Lolita Lo Bosco”., Antonietta Ivona, Lucrezia Lopez

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

Religious cultural heritage is a fundamental pillar of territorial identity, especially in regions with a deep historical heritage such as Apulia, in the South of Italy. In addition, it has historically been a key element in the construction of audiovisual narratives, providing symbolic depth to the stories and enriching their aesthetics. The Italian series Lolita Lo Bosco, A Tv series set in Apulia (Italy), takes advantage of these sacred spaces not only as physical scenarios, but also as vehicles of cultural and symbolic significance, historical memory, traditions and tensions between modernity and cultural heritage.

This presentation analyzes the use of …

C1) Critical Reflection On The Specificity And Coherence In Portugal Of Processions And Pilgrimages As Religious Practices, Adalberto Dias De Carvalho

International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conferences

In an anthropological and ethical tourist exploration of religious practices, silence due to its symbolic and spiritual value stands out, among others, as an important and profound experience. It is used in different ways, depending on the religious tradition, but it always emerges as being powerful in deepening the connection with the divine and facilitating inner meditation.

In Christianity, silence, by fostering a more direct relationship with the sacred, also promotes listening to the ˜answers of the entity to which that communication is especially directed.

Since the acceptance and practice of silence is inherent and clearly compatible with ritual solemnities, …