culture tourism pilgrimage

What is pilgrimage tourism and why is it important?

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Pilgrimage tourism is an extremely popular type of tourism , but what exactly is pilgrimage tourism and where does it take place? Read on to learn all about it…

What is pilgrimage tourism?

For the pilgrims, for the destination, non-religious pilgrimages, camino de santiago, western wall, vatican city, pilgrimage tourism- further reading.

Pilgrimage tourism is essentially the process of visiting pilgrimage sites. These are primarily religious destinations, and can even be said to have formed a very early version of tourism.

Typically, pilgrimages are long journeys taken over days, weeks or even months for religious purposes. They are a whole journey, one that people of faith take in order to strengthen their relationship with their religion. However, pilgrimage tourism can include visits to specific churches or mosques or other religious landmarks in the city you might be visiting on holiday. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn-out journey (a typical pilgrimage), it can be a quick visit that forms part of any other kind of tourism.

In his paper The Issues and Perspectives of Pilgrimage Tourism Development in Thanjavur, S. Vijayanand strengthens this definition of pilgrimage tourism as follows:

Pilgrimage tourism is the type of tourism that entirely or powerfully motivates tourists for the achievement of religious attitude and practices. One of the oldest types of visiting the attractions and a global experience in the olden times of spiritual growth, it can be differentiated into different forms. The temporary religious sightseeing is well-known by excursions to close by pilgrimage centers or religious conferences. The durable implies visits of quite a few days or weeks to nationwide and worldwide pilgrimage sites or conferences.

Why is pilgrimage tourism important?

When talking about the importance of pilgrimage tourism, we can split this in two. How important is pilgrimage tourism for the destination, and how important is pilgrimage tourism for the pilgrims themselves?

Traditional pilgrimages are important to many people. They are linked to almost all religions across the globe; people travel to certain destinations to experience religious enlightenment. The journey itself, often long and sometimes difficult, is a chance to reflect. Whether taken alone or in a group, a pilgrimage is something that helps people in some way. This might be something people choose to do after a loss: being alone with your grief as you journey to somewhere spiritual can be a great way to healing.

Or, you might just want to change your life in some way. The chance for reflection and being alone with your thoughts for days at a time might help you make a tough decision that you’ve been pondering on for a while. If you’re trying to decide whether to take a new job, for example, or whether to stay in your relationship and so on. Big life decisions are often made during pilgrimages!

Pilgrimages can be a way to deepen your relationship with your religion too. It is a way of showing how dedicated you are to your faith, certainly, and it is a chance to learn more about the religion itself. Pilgrimages tend to echo the footsteps of prominent figures from different religions, or they end at somewhere that is very significant.

Another reason why pilgrimages are so important to so many people is that it can be a chance to ask for forgiveness of, or seek a favour from, the deity you worship. Because the destination tends to be such a holy place, many people believe that praying here means there is a higher chance of your prayer being answered…

Pilgrimage tourism is all about going somewhere. There are many destinations that are popular with pilgrims, as they hold such significance for different religions. As with any type of tourism, pilgrimage tourism has a huge economic impact. Some pilgrimage destinations and locations rely entirely on this kind of tourism for their income. This, in turn, is passed on to the surrounding areas. B&Bs get bookings, restaurants see more foot traffic, local shops gain customers. Jobs are created: for tour guides, for people making handmade souvenirs, for photographers and so much more.

NBC News says: Religious travel generates at least $8 billion a year for shrine-centered economies and provides employment for thousands, according to academics — and being able to measure the celestial and spiritual elements of pilgrimage in monetary terms is far from a modern phenomenon; it’s as ancient as the act of spiritual travel itself.

It is also important in that it allows people who work at these religious pilgrimage destinations to share their faith. This is a big thing for many.

Many destinations see day-visitors too. That is, people who have not undertaken a long journey to get there (i.e the pilgrimage itself) but who still want to visit the location as a tourist. This ploughs a lot more money into the industry!

It should be mentioned that the term ‘pilgrimage’ does not always have to be used in relation to religious destinations. The term can often just mean someone going somewhere that is *really* special to them for one specific reason. This is more of a personal pilgrimage. It is still a type of tourism, of course! Examples include Elvis superfans visiting Graceland , or someone travelling to another country to finally watch their favourite football team in action.

Popular pilgrimage tourism destinations

There will be a few destinations on the list that are instantly recognisable to most. And there will likely be some that don’t automatically spring to mind. All are places that people visit for the purposes of pilgrimage tourism…

Located in southwestern France , this is a popular Catholic pilgrimage site. It rose to prominence when a peasant girl claimed to see an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims tend to visit between March and October. Since 1860, over 200 million people are said to have visited here – and 68 miraculous healings are said to have taken place. The spring water from the grotto is said to have healing properties.

This holy city in Saudi Arabia is a Muslim pilgrimage site. The journey here is known as Hajj, and it takes place annually. This is a mandatory duty for all adult Muslims, who are expected to go at least once in their lifetime if physically and financially able to do so. It takes around 5-6 days, and millions of Muslim men and women take this journey together every year to Islam’s holiest city.

There are several routes to choose, but all lead to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, located in Galicia, Spain. His remains are said to be buried here. This is a long journey, but one that is very popular and has a huge impact on pilgrimage tourism. There are several hostels/B&Bs to stop in along the way, and you can spot many scallop shapes along the route as this is the symbol of this pilgrimage.

In Nepal, this is said to be the birthplace of Buddhism. As such, many Buddhists from across India and beyond make the journey here every year to where Siddhartha Gautama was born in 623 BC. A beautiful and bright location, it is an important spot for pilgrims who want to see the stone slab where he was born and the pool he was bathed in.

Also known as the Wailing Wall, this is located in the old town of Jerusalem. It is the most important place of pilgrimage for people of the Jewish faith because of its proximity to Temple Mount. This is where God’s presence is felt and manifested the most. Because Jewish prayer is forbidden at Temple Mount due to its Islamic connections, the wall is the next best place. People pray and mourn here, with prayers written down and stuffed into the many cracks in the wall itself.

Jerusalem has many other sites that are considered to be important sites for Jewish pilgrims. People also visit Via Dolorosa, Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives among other famous places.

Located in the central west bank of Palestine, Bethlehem is a popular location when it comes to pilgrimage tourism. According to the Nativity, it is the birthplace of Jesus which is why so many Christians are keen to visit. There is a church here with a grotto, said to be the exact place of Jesus’ birth. Around 2 million people visit every year.

A smaller pilgrimage location that is definitely not as popular, this is a town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since the ‘80s, quite a few children have seen apparitions of the virgin Mary. This is why Medugorje is gaining recognition as a somewhat untraditional site of pilgrimage. It currently sees around 1 million visitors annually.

This is an incredibly popular location although not necessarily a pilgrimage site. It is of great importance to Catholicism, however, so it earns a place on this list. Many Catholics come here to pray, for an audience with a pope and to admire the beauty of the Sistine Chapel and the rest of this tiny enclave.

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Pilgrimage tourism-past, present and future rejuvenation: a perspective article

Tourism Review

ISSN : 1660-5373

Article publication date: 25 November 2019

Issue publication date: 20 February 2020

This paper aims to analyse the development of the pilgrimage phenomenon over the past few decades. Pilgrimage was the first tourism mobility to come into existence thousands of years ago. In recent decades, its significance has decreased, as other tourism segments have gained prominence. Although modern tourism is regarded as a relatively new phenomenon, its origins are clearly rooted in the age-old practice of pilgrimage. Indeed, the development of tourism is difficult to understand without a thorough comprehension of the practice of pilgrimage in ancient times.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses the development of the pilgrimage phenomenon over the past few decades. The phenomenon of Pilgrimage Tourism and the nexus between the two mobilities has been experiencing tremendous changes over the past few decades and is still in the midst of an on-going process of transformation.

This paper concludes with the prediction that pilgrimage will re-emerge when the many similar segments – particularly, spiritual tourism, heritage tourism, religious tourism, dark tourism and secular pilgrimage – are re-identified as pilgrimage: a mobility for the search for meaning that contains an element of transformation that is often deep and enduring (as they were viewed at the dawn of humanity and for thousands of years).

Originality/value

This review has examined the development of pilgrimage tourism as a research topic, highlighting the importance of re-examining our contemporary usage of terms in order to allow for broader interpretations of different phenomena in the field of tourism. These conclusions are consistent with the current calls for a fundamental rethinking of the paradigms and the norms shaping scholarship on pilgrimage, dark tourism and tourism as a whole from a post-disciplinary perspective based on synthesis and synergy.

Dark tourism
Pilgrimage tourism
Religious tourism
Secular pilgrimage

Collins-Kreiner, N. (2020), "Pilgrimage tourism-past, present and future rejuvenation: a perspective article", Tourism Review , Vol. 75 No. 1, pp. 145-148. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-04-2019-0130

Emerald Publishing Limited

Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

Introduction

Pilgrimage was the first tourism mobility to come into existence thousands of years ago ( Timothy and Olsen, 2006 ). Although modern tourism is regarded as a relatively new phenomenon, its origins are clearly rooted in the age-old practice of pilgrimage. Indeed, the development of tourism is difﬁcult to understand without a thorough comprehension of the practice of pilgrimage in ancient times.

This brief piece analyses the development of the pilgrimage phenomenon over the past few decades and concludes with the prediction that pilgrimage will re-emerge when the many similar segments – particularly, spiritual tourism, heritage tourism, religious tourism, dark tourism, and secular pilgrimage – are re-identified as pilgrimage: a mobility for the search for meaning that contains an element of transformation that is often deep and enduring (as they were viewed at the dawn of humanity and for thousands of years).

The phenomenon of Pilgrimage Tourism and the nexus between the two mobilities has been experiencing tremendous changes over the past few decades and is still in the midst of an on-going process of transformation.

A past perspective on pilgrimage tourism research: from the 1960s through the 2010s

Pilgrimage as a research concept, as distinct from a market segment, hardly existed before the 1990s. Its roots, however, reach back to concepts and theories – developed primarily by sociologists and anthropologists – that were analysed in the tourism literature of the 1970s and the 1980s and that focussed on the “visitor experience” and the psychosocial dynamics that drive different kinds of tourism, including pilgrimage ( Cohen, 1979 ; 1992a , 1992b ; 1998 ; Jackson and Hudman, 1995 ; MacCannell, 1973 ; Turner and Turner, 1969 , 1978 ).

Several fundamental social ideas that featured in the study of pilgrimage in those years were: the “ritual process” ( Turner and Turner, 1969 ); the holy site as the centre of the world ( Eliade, 1969 ); “liminality”, a transitory stage between two established social statuses ( Turner and Turner, 1969 ); “Communitas”, a specific kind of group dynamics that are characteristic of assemblies of pilgrims ( Turner and Turner, 1978 ); tourism as a quest for the “authentic”, representing the pilgrimage of modern man ( MacCannell, 1973 ); tourism as a “sacred journey” ( Graburn, 1977 ) ; and five main modes of tourist experience based on the location and significance of the given experience within the tourist’s overall worldview ( Cohen, 1979 ).

In the 1990s, new ideas and concepts were incorporated into pilgrimage research, including: a continuum of travel from “pilgrim as a religious traveller” to “tourist” as a vacationer ( Smith, 1992 ); the heterogeneity of pilgrimage and pilgrimage as an arena for competing religious and secular discourses ( Eade and Sallnow, 1991 ); two different types of pilgrimage centres – the formal and the popular ( Cohen, 1992a ); the complex relationship between pilgrimage and tourism and the similarities and differences between the tourist and the pilgrim ( Cohen, 1998 ; Digance, 2003 ; Shinde, 2015 ); the relationship among religion, pilgrimage, and tourism ( Timothy and Olsen, 2006 ); and de-differentiation ( Collins-Kreiner, 2010 , 2016 ).

Beginning in the 2000s, the definition of pilgrimage has come to accommodate both traditional religious and modern secular journeys, as researchers began to discuss the modern ideas of pilgrimage in the context of spiritual rather than religious motivations and actions. As more and more research has shown, large numbers of tourists are seeking a variety of experiences, including enlightenment, knowledge, improved spiritual and physical well-being and challenge. During this period, scholars have generated new knowledge about secular pilgrimage sites and secular aspects of pilgrimage research ( Hyde and Harman, 2011 ). The current literature understands pilgrimage as a holistic phenomenon with religious and secular foundations ( Collins-Kreiner, 2016 ) that encompasses sites that can emerge from both religious and secular contexts.

A future perspective: the rejuvenation of pilgrimage tourism

Based on the above analysis, it appears that pilgrimage is currently in a stage of rejuvenation and is therefore in the process of losing some of its unique attributes – in our case, its religious attributes, which constituted the original basis of its identity as a distinct type of tourism – and is simultaneously developing new identities, such as secular pilgrimage, spiritual tourism, religious tourism, church tourism, dark tourism and transformational tourism ( Collins-Kreiner, 2016 ; Kiely, 2013 ).

Over the past decade, the word “pilgrimage” has become widely used in broad secular contexts. Scholars have begun to think about other forms of pilgrimage, such as spiritual tourists; “New Age” spiritual travel for pilgrimage, personal growth, and non-traditional spiritual practices; and increasing research on modern secular pilgrimage, in which the search for the miraculous is a trait shared by religious and secular pilgrims alike ( Digance, 2003 ). All pilgrims are engaged in a quest for a mystical or magical religious experience – a moment when they experience something out of the ordinary that marks a transition from the mundane secular world of their everyday existence to a special and sacred state. These experiences can be described as transformation, enlightenment and life-changing or consciousness-changing events, although words appear to be inadequate to truly describe such experiences, which often defy reason ( Kim and Kim, 2018 ; Liutikas, 2015 ).

Thus, in the past few years, new identities and concepts such as dark-tourism, spiritual tourism, and other market segments have developed and a number of sources have noted an increasing interest in tourism focussing on death, disaster and horror ( Stone, 2012 ; Lennon and Foley, 2000 ; Stone and Sharpley, 2008 ). Dark tourism, for example, is part of the rejuvenation of pilgrimage, as they both emerge from the same milieu to include the sites of dramatic historic events that hold extra meaning ( Collins-Kreiner, 2016 ).

Also noteworthy is the fact that the current literature is finding it increasingly difficult to differentiate among religious pilgrims, secular pilgrims, dark tourists, heritage tourists and pilgrimage, as they all are recognised as part of the growing phenomenon of tourist interest in sites that add meaning to life ( Amaro et al. , 2018 ; Collins-Kreiner, 2016 ; Terzidou et al. , 2017 ).

Conclusions

This review has examined the development of pilgrimage tourism as a research topic, highlighting the importance of re-examining our contemporary usage of terms in order to allow for broader interpretations of different phenomena in the field of tourism. These conclusions are consistent with the current calls for a fundamental rethinking of the paradigms and the norms shaping scholarship on pilgrimage ( Eade and Albera, 2015 ), dark tourism ( Stone, 2012 ) and tourism as a whole ( Winter, 2009 ) from a post-disciplinary perspective based on synthesis and synergy.

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Cohen , E. ( 1992b ), “ Pilgrimage and tourism: convergence and divergence ”, in Morinis , A. (Ed.), Sacred Journeys: The Anthropology of Pilgrimage , Greenwood Press , New York, NY , pp. 47 - 61 .

Cohen , E. ( 1998 ), “ Tourism and religion: a comparative perspective ”, Paciﬁc Tourism Review , Vol. 2 , pp. 1 - 10 .

Collins-Kreiner , N. ( 2010 ), “ Researching pilgrimage: continuity and transformations ”, Annals of Tourism Research , Vol. 37 No. 2 , pp. 440 - 456 .

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Graburn , N.H.H. ( 1977 ), “ Tourism: the sacred journey ”, in Smith , V.L. (Ed.), Hosts and Guests: The Anthropology of Tourism , University of Pennsylvania Press , Philadelphia , pp. 17 - 31 .

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Corresponding author

About the author.

Noga Collins-Kreiner is based at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.

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Religious Tourism, Pilgrimage, and Cultural Tourism

2016, Silpakorn University

Abstract The aim of this study is to provide a critical review of the literature in the following areas: concepts related to the intersection of tourism and religion, religion and spirituality are still among the most common motivations for travel, religious tourism and pilgrimage, sacred motivations for pilgrimage, development of tourism destination for pilgrimage route, and challenges for pilgrimage route in cultural tourism. Religious Tourism, so-called “Faith Tourism”, is a form of tourism, whereby people of faith travel individually or in groups for reasons related to religion or spirituality in their quest for meaning. It could be under pilgrimage, missionary, or leisure purposes. Many of today's most popular tourist destinations are related to ancient places of worship or to the site of apparent miracles. In addition, Pilgrimage, as a part of religious tourism, is the act of moving from one place to another, often traveling through foreign lands; an ordered march of a group of people, usually with religious connotation. It is a ritual journey with a hallowed purpose; every step along the way has meaning; the pilgrim knows that the journey will be difficult and that life-giving challenges will emerge. Basically, sacred destinations and places of pilgrimage associate with the mainstream faiths: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Sikhism. Nowadays, at least three hundred million pilgrims visit the world's key religious sites every year. The study also presents an implication to distinct pilgrimage from religious tourism. In term of pilgrimage, its incorporation conveys religious involvement into the journey. Motivations for pilgrimage will differ from those of religious tourism. The pilgrimage has a mediation function between the natural and the cultural world & between the natural and the supernatural world. It is not a vacation, but a transformational journey during which significant change takes place; new insights are given, deeper understanding is attained, new and old places in the heart are visited, blessings are received, healing takes place, and on return from the pilgrimage, life is seen with different eyes and nothing will ever be quite the same again. While pilgrimage has ultimate spiritual goal, the search for eternal truth and becoming one with God, it is a journey resulting from religious causes, externally to a holy site, and internationally for spiritual purposes and internal understanding. Sacred site that houses holy artifacts promotes ritual practice and attracts religious travelers or pilgrims, who often mark the time and extend the space of the journey by returning home with mementos. The review includes the development of tourism destination for pilgrimage route. Pilgrimage is as the ancient forerunner and analogue of modern tourism. At the same time, tourism is as a kind of pilgrimage of modern civilization. Tourist is half a pilgrim, if a pilgrim is half a tourist. Indeed, tourism and pilgrimage can be identified as opposite end points on a continuum of travel. While changing motivations of the traveler, whose interests and activities may switch from tourism to pilgrimage and vice versa, even without the individual being aware of the change. The study also found valid connections between sacred people, places, and events. Challenge for pilgrimage route in cultural tourism has been finally discussed. Tourist attractions are symbols of modern consciousness, the modern cathedrals of consumption, and venerated through sight sacralization. Sightseeing becomes a modern ritual. New means of consumption can be seen as cathedrals of consumption. Must-see attractions replace the must-see religious sites. There is an emergence of experience industry from the pilgrimage route, as cultural heritage attraction, in view of cultural tourism, aimed at consuming experiences and engaging in enchantment. The study found that religious-based experiences could provide experienced-based economies. Religion, as a tourist experience, becomes part of the symbolic economy. In conclusion, the experience industry with tourist attractions derived from the pilgrimage routes has been broadly developed in form of cultural tourism in our time. These tourist attractions are also known as cultural heritage attractions, functioning as the travel motivations of tourist.

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Cultural tourism as pilgrimage

In this recent address to a UNESCO doctoral summer school in northern Italy, the author argues that all cultural tourism has underlying and implicit philosophical-religious dimensions that are particularly important in the era of “late capitalism,” in which “the idiosyncratic has triumphed over the normative” and there is a deeply nihilistic drive and trajectory to the ascendant culture. After drawing on the sociologist Daniel Bell’s analysis of “the cultural contradictions of capitalism,” the author argues that there is an irreducible sacred dimension to the human person ( res sacra homo ) and his or her life always has the character of a pilgrimage, cognitively comprised of a quest for significance beyond the separate meanings of the normal occupational and utilitarian life. Master-works of urbanism, architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and literature offset the nihilistic dynamic of “late modernity,” and the author draws particular attention to literary works of cross-cultural understanding such as the trilogy of historical novels about India by L. H. Myers, The Root and the Flower and the novels of the great modern Japanese writer Shusaku Endo. As works of fundamental importance for orienting his analysis he adduces C. S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man and Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning .

Aeschliman, Michael D. 2015. Reading Piers Paul Read. National Review Online 12 December 2015. Search in Google Scholar

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Research Article

Sociodemographic relationships of motivations, satisfaction, and loyalty in religious tourism: A study of the pilgrimage to the city Mecca

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Brunel Business School, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Universidad Espíritu Santo, Samborondón, Ecuador

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Resources, Software, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Facultad de Economía y Empresa, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation, Resources, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliation Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanísticas, Guayaquil, Ecuador

Tahani Hassan,
Mauricio Carvache-Franco,
Orly Carvache-Franco,
Wilmer Carvache-Franco

Published: March 30, 2023
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720
Reader Comments

Religious tourism is a growing sector of the tourism market because of the many social and cultural changes in the 21st century. Pilgrimage centers worldwide are considered important at the levels of religion, heritage, and culture of tourism. Despite the popularity of journeys to pilgrimage centers and their global importance, there is still a lack of knowledge about the dimensionality and impact of socio-demographic factors on visiting these centers. This study aims to (i) establish the motivational dimensions of the pilgrimage to Mecca (ii) identify the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims and the motivation (iii) determine the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims, satisfaction, and loyalty. The research was carried out on pilgrims who had visited Mecca. The sample consisted of 384 online surveys. Factor analysis and multiple regression method were applied to a analyze data. The results show three motivational dimensions: religious, social, and cultural, and shopping. Additionally, there is evidence of a relationship between age, marital status and average daily expenditure per person with some motivational variables. Similarly, a relationship was found between average daily expenditure per person and other variables such as satisfaction and loyalty. This study helps tourism companies pay attention to pilgrims’ the socio-demographic characteristics of and match them with their motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty during the planning process.

Citation: Hassan T, Carvache-Franco M, Carvache-Franco O, Carvache-Franco W (2023) Sociodemographic relationships of motivations, satisfaction, and loyalty in religious tourism: A study of the pilgrimage to the city Mecca. PLoS ONE 18(3): e0283720. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720

Editor: Vincenzo Basile, University of Naples Federico II: Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, ITALY

Received: November 25, 2022; Accepted: March 15, 2023; Published: March 30, 2023

Copyright: © 2023 Hassan et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Data Availability: All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

1. Introduction

Religious tourism is a growing form of travel due to the many socio-cultural changes taken place, including globalization, transport development, and commercialization [ 1 ]. Religious tourism is the journey to sacred sites to meet the religious and spiritual needs of the tourists traveling to those destinations [ 2 – 5 ].

The most common form of religious tourism is a pilgrimage which involves practices of the religion such as Hajj to Mecca in Islam, pilgrimage to the ministry of Jesus and sites associated with saints for Christians, pilgrimage of Jews to the City of Jerusalem, and pilgrimage of Buddhists to temples and the Ganges River which occur at specific times of the year [ 3 ].

Traveling to religious destination is influenced by tourist’s motivations. Those reasons are why tourists to visit the site [ 6 ]. Generally, motivations are defined as the reasons behind visiting a specific destination which has a relevant effect on the design, promotion and planning of travel destination [ 7 , 8 ]. Religious tourism is generally divided into religious motives such as worship and secular motives, including cultural motives, relaxation motives, pleasure-seeking motives such as shopping, seeing old historical sites, having peace, and spending times with family and friends [ 9 ]. Previous studies found that religious tourists’ motivation can be influenced by three other factors: socio-demographic characteristics, satisfaction, and loyalty. First, tourism socio-demographic aspects of are tourists’ properties or attributes of such as gender, age, educational level, job, income, region, and nationality [ 3 , 10 ]. It is crucial to study those aspects because of their role in explaining the differences in tourists’ lifestyles and travel motivations hand and their impact on the tourists’ demand and tourism services [ 10 – 12 ]. The socio-demographic characteristics of tourists were also found to have a significant impact on families’ travel plan, behaviour, and expenditures [ 13 ]. Second, satisfaction addresses how the destination matches the needs of tourists [ 14 ]. Third, loyalty to a tourist destination refers to the willingness to recommend the destination to other people and make a future revisit [ 15 ]. Tourists’ satisfaction and loyalty are essential considerations for tourism marketers in improving the quality and services of tourist interests and ensuring a delightful experience at a destination [ 14 ].

The pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the most important religious events in the world due to the gathering of millions of people from all over the world in the Holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia during a specific time of the year to perform Hajj [ 16 – 18 ]. However, the pilgrimage to Mecca takes two forms: Hajj and Umrah. The Hajj takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar, and it is obligatory for every Muslim once in life, whereas the Umrah is performed at any time of the year [ 19 , 20 ]. During the visit to Mecca, Muslims pray in the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) and visit religious sites such as Safa and Marwa Mountain in order to pray, find peace, happiness and follow Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) on his last visit to Mecca [ 21 ].

A careful look into the previous studies about religious tourism showed a paucity of studies about the relationship of socio-demographic factors with motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty among pilgrims to religious sites. Studying this interrelationship is vital for preparing tourism plans, improving services, accommodating pilgrims, and meeting their needs since they will be satisfied and repeat their visits in the future. Thus, the objectives of this study are to (i) establish the motivational dimensions of the pilgrimage to Mecca (ii) determine the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims and their motivation (iii) identify the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims, satisfaction, and loyalty.

2. Literature review

2.1. motivations in religious tourism.

Religious tourism is an old form of tourism that appears and developed with the religions throughout history [ 22 ]. Religious tourism is s the visit to a specific destination, and it includes three categories: (1) sites of high value that attract large numbers of tourists such as cathedrals, (2) religious festivals and (3) pilgrimages shrines [ 23 ]. Furthermore, Nyaupane et al. [ 24 ] ascertained those visitors to religious sites tend to travel with their families or organized groups during specific seasons influenced by climate, holidays, work schedules, and ceremonies. Pilgrimage, the most common form of religious tourism, is a practice in some religions such as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism [ 3 ].

Previous studies about tourists’ motivation agreed on two types: push and pull motives. Push motives are tourists’ internal desires for having fun, relaxation, family bonding, social interaction, knowledge seeking, and enjoying challenges. Pull motives are external factors that attract tourists to travel to a particular destination, including the historical, cultural and environmental qualities and attributes [ 25 – 29 ].

Studies have identified different motives for religious tourism. These motives include the need to search for life meaning and develop personal values [ 1 ]. Thus, people travel to religious sites to search for the meaning of life, spend time with family and friends, visit historical and cultural place, and relax [ 30 , 31 ]. These motives are classified into three main groups: religious, touristic, and recreation [ 32 ]. However, previous studies showed that motivations vary according to the type of the religious site. For instance, churches are considered cultural buildings visited for less religious reasons. Hence, churches are visited for historical and cultural motives more than religious ones [ 33 – 35 ]. Concerning Buddhist sites, few studies explored tourists’ motives. Scholars found push motives such as religious belief and mental relaxation and pull motives such as seeing the architecture, cultural enjoyment, and history [ 36 , 37 ]. Finally, for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca, their motives are not limited to religion. Other motives include praying in the Masjid al-Haram (The Great Mosque of Mecca), leisure, shopping, and benefitting from the Islamic tourist packages [ 38 , 39 ].

Regarding the nature of the pilgrims and their motivations. For Muslims, Luz [ 40 ] stated that there are a variety of reasons why Muslims travel to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. The benefit of receiving forgiveness of sins is the primary incentive for praying in Masjid al-Haram (The Great Mosque of Mecca) and Masjid-e-Nabawi in Medina. Finding love and pleasure is the second justification. Because of their devotion to the Prophet Muhammad, who visited these locations, Muslims make pilgrimages to Mecca. In order to express their love for the Prophet, Muslims appreciate and cherish certain locations. Third, Muslims travel there on pilgrimages, which enables them to respect other travellers’ cultural and ethical beliefs as well as their own. These travellers come to perform the Hajj in Mecca and to see Masjid-e-Nabawi in Medina [ 21 ].

In Christianity, churches are regarded as cultural sites in Western nations and are frequently visited by tourists [ 35 ]. Tourists are more likely to visit churches for historical and cultural reasons than for religious ones, according to several UK surveys [ 41 ]. A similar analysis of English visitors to Chichester Cathedral by Gutic et al. [ 33 ] revealed that history, architecture, and curiosity were the primary motivators. However, spiritual motivations like prayer or inner serenity were less significant. St. David’s Cathedral in Wales was researched by [ 42 ] who agreed that people go to the cathedral to learn more about the national heritage.

Regarding Buddhism there aren’t many studies on Buddhists sacred sits that examine the motivations behind visiting Buddhist locations. For instance, Bodhgaya, an Indian Buddhist site, was researched by Piramanayagam et al. [ 37 ] in 2021. Three factors were discovered by this study: religious convictions, history, architecture and culture, and service quality. They claimed that the best reason to travel to Bodhgaya was due to the caliber of the services offered. Religious convictions and mental rest were identified as driving motives in Wang et al. [ 36 ]’s study on religious tourism motivation in Buddhist Mountain (China), whereas cultural enjoyment was identified as an attracting factor. The aforementioned discussion confirmed that there is a difference among religions in regard to their motivations to visit religious sites. This could be attributed to the difference of beliefs and the nature of these religions.

2.2. Socio-demographic aspects and motivations in religious tourism

Religious tourism is studied from the socio-demographic aspect. However, research on this relationship is scarce, and it needs to be studied to understand these concepts better and improving the services to the pilgrims of those sacred sites. Studies found a difference between men and women in travelling for religious tourism [ 23 ]. For instance, visits to saints and the cult of the Virgin Mary are known for recovering from illnesses, disease protection and resolving infertility; thus, these sites are more visited by women than men. For example, many visitors to European Marian shrines are female women pilgrims who make vows for health issues related to them or family members, especially children [ 12 ]. Similarly, most pilgrims to Mecca are male because of travel gender limitations between men and women [ 43 ]. Variations are found in the relationship between socio-demographic aspects and motivation in religious tourism. For example, Vistad et al. [ 44 ] studied pilgrims’ visits to Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, and found no motivational differences among pilgrims based on their level of education whereas the Homeland/ region influences nature knowledge and joy motivations that more important to European pilgrims than to Norwegians. Being in solitude is more important to European and German pilgrims than to Norwegians. The study showed that being in solitude is less important for inexperienced pilgrims. Finally, experienced pilgrims are more religiously motivated than less experienced ones. Hence, pilgrims’ socio-demographic aspects of significantly impact their motivations to travel to sacred destinations. Pillai et al., [ 45 ] investigated the pilgrims who visited the 17th Exposition of St Francis Xavier’s holy relics, a Christian religious event in Goa, Indonesia and found no relationship between pilgrims’ motivation and their demographic aspects except age. Another study conducted by Liro [ 1 ] about the Roman Catholic sanctuaries in Poland found that demographic aspects have a significant impact on religious tourism. Women are more motivated to travel, pray and participate in cultural events than men. This study also found a difference between the travel motives of Polish, and foreign visitors. Polish and foreign tourists were motivated for praying and pilgrimage whereas foreign visitors of these sacred sites as part of their sightseeing in the region. Finally, in terms of gender, older people are more religiously motivated than young ones.

Studies about the relationship between sociodemographic aspects and motivations of pilgrims are not conclusive and lead to different results. Thus, further investigating the relationship between socio-demographic aspects and motivations among pilgrims could provide knowledge about their travel preferences. This study could also assist the religious tourism market plan future trips to fit pilgrims’ motivations and their socio-demographic characteristics.

Therefore, based on the discussed arguments, the following research question is derived:

Q1: What is the relationship of socio-demographic aspects with motivation to visit Mecca?

2.3. Socio-demographic aspects related to satisfaction and loyalty in religious tourism

Satisfaction is essential for tourists’ companies to successfully market destinations and improve their quality of services and products. Satisfaction is crucial for improving the destination image [ 46 , 47 ]. Furthermore, satisfaction can provide forecasts for the loyalty to a particular destination and the desire of the tourists to return to that destination [ 48 ]. In general, tourism satisfaction is the positive feeling about the expectations and the perceived benefits that tourists express after travelling [ 49 ]. Another crucial element in tourism is loyalty which is essential in improving the travel destination image through positive word of mouth. Loyalty is the repetition of visit to a destination and visitors’ recommendations of the destination [ 50 ]. Regarding religious tourism, satisfaction is the degree to which the destination matches the need of the tourist [ 51 ]. Loyalty in religious tourism is overall feeling about the visit, the recommendation of a destination to other people and the intention to revisit the destination in the future [ 51 ].

Empirical studies of the relationship between socio-demographic aspects and pilgrims’ satisfaction showed different results. For instance, age, gender, occupation and academic status do not significantly affect on satisfaction among Malaysian Hajj (Pilgrims to Mecca) [ 52 ]. Conversely, Joseph et al., [ 53 ] found that satisfaction varied among pilgrims to Sabarimala hill temple, Kerala State of India. The researchers found that pilgrims from the agriculture sector have a high level of satisfaction. Pilgrims with high and low income are more satisfied than those with average income. Another study about tourists participating in the “Saint Parascheva” pilgrimage, Romania, found that age variable is the only one among socio-demographic aspects that influenced the pilgrims’ satisfaction, which is attributed to the high level of faith among them [ 54 ]. Moreover, religious tourism does not indicate a relationship between sociodemographic variables and loyalty. For example, a study about the antecedents of tourist loyalty in Jammu and Kashmir, India, found that gender moderates the effect of destination image on the satisfaction and loyalty of tourists [ 55 ]. Hence, we can infer that socio-demographic aspects may relate to satisfaction and loyalty. However, this relationship may vary from one socio-demographic aspect to another.

Therefore, we propose that socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims may affect their satisfaction and loyalty:

Q2: What is the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims and satisfaction?

Q3: What is the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims and loyalty?

3. Study area

Mecca is located in the West of Saudi Arabia near the city of Jeddah. Muslims are obliged to visit Mecca once in their life to perform Hajj during the period of 8 to 12th Dhu al-Hijjah (the last Islamic month). Muslims also visit Mecca to perform Umrah, a non-compulsory ritual that can be performed any time of the year [ 56 ]. Travelling to Mecca stems from the fact that performing Hajj is the peak of the Muslim pilgrims’ religious life, and it is a representation of the Muslim principles of unity and equality since pilgrims to Mecca perform the same rituals and wear the same cloths [ 40 ].

Visiting the holy city of Mecca involves several Islamic sites to perform Hajj or Umrah. The most important is the Great Mosque of Mecca (the Masjid al-Haram), where Muslims must circumambulate the Kaaba. Then, Muslims walk between the mountains of Safa and Marwah. Moreover, Muslims can visit other sacred sites, including Maqam Ibrahim (the stone where Abraham stood when building the Kaaba) and Jable Al- Nour, where Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation in Hera Cave [ 21 ]. Pilgrims can visit cultural sites like the Mecca Museum and an exhibition of two sacred mosques while on their trip to Mecca. Al-Zahir Palace was originally known as the Mecca Museum. It has an exhibit on Islamic calligraphy, a chamber dedicated to Islamic art, and a collection of pre-Islamic era archeological finds. The ancient golden metal gate of the Ka’bah of Al Masjid Al Haram in Mecca and the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina are both on display in the Two Mosques Exhibition together with marble emblems, pillars, historical images, and other artifacts. The Ka’bah fabric was created in the Al-Kiswah (cloth of the Ka’bah) Factory. Visitors interested in antiques can also go to the Mecca auction. It offers a fantastic collection of jewels and ancient Arabic coins where people can place bids on the objects on exhibit. The Al-Zaher Palace Museum is another option for them. This museum displays artifacts from various Islamic historical periods in the region as well as the history of Mecca. It was built in an Islamic style in 1944. It was initially used by King Abdul Aziz as his Mecca headquarters, where he met representatives of Muslim pilgrims from all around the world. Then, it was changed into a museum dedicated to Islamic history. Pilgrims can visit the many eateries in Mecca for entertainment and shopping. Paradise Restaurant, which is near to Al Masjid Al Haram, is one of the eateries. It serves conventional cuisines and is open at night. Al Tazaj is another well-known eatery that is well-known throughout the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is renowned for serving a variety of BBQ dishes, including hamburgers. Tourists can visit Mecca Mall for shopping. It is a sizable shopping mall that provides families with a calm and welcoming atmosphere. It provides both domestic and foreign product brands, supermarkets, and eateries [ 57 ].

4. Methodology

This study has the objectives (i) to establish the motivational dimensions of the pilgrimage to Mecca, (ii) to identify the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims and motivation (iii) to determine the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims, satisfaction, and loyalty. Motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty were the dependent variables and sociodemographic factors were the independent variables analyzed. To achieve these objectives, the authors developed a questionnaire consisting of three sections for 18 years and above pilgrims. These sections are socio-demographic, visitor motivations, and satisfaction and loyalty to the visit. The socio-demographic part consists of 12 closed questions about the characteristics of pilgrims taken adapted from Lee et al. [ 58 ]. Section two is taken adopted from Pillai et al., [ 45 ] with a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 meaning not very important to 5 meaning very important. The Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient of the motivation scale value reached 0.96, which means an acceptable internal consistency. Part three is about satisfaction and loyalty based on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 means not very important and 5 means very important, and it is taken from Kim and Park [ 59 ].

Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in the questionnaires. This study is part of the Project ethically approved by the Research Dean of the ESPOL University. The questionnaire was prepared with Google Form. The authors conducted a pilot test of 25 surveys to validate the questions and find errors. After this pilot test, aspects of the wording of the questions were corrected so that they are better understood by the respondents.

The questionnaire was sent via WhatsApp in Bahrain, where most of the population are Muslims. The sample consisted of 384 valid surveys. The data collection period was from May to July 2021. A margin of error of +/− 5%, a confidence level of 95% and a variation of 50% were proposed. Then, data were organized, tabulated, and analyzed using SPSS Version 26 program. A factor analysis was applied to explain the relationship between the variables. The KMO index (Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity were applied to know the appropriateness of performing factor analysis. The following stage used multiple regression to find the relationship between sociodemographic variables and the study variables (motivations, satisfaction, and loyalty). Only significant variables (p<0.05) were considered to find the relationship between variables.

5.1. Sociodemographic profile of the sample surveyed

The present study was carried out in Bahrain where the majority of its population are Muslims and make the pilgrimage to the city of Mecca. The sample in terms of its sociodemographic characteristics was made up of national tourists (13.8%) and foreigners (86.2%). Also, 76.3% of tourists were men and 23.7% women. About marital status, 71.1% were married, while 16.9% were single. Regarding age, the majority group of tourists was between 21 and 30 years old with 39.1%, followed by those between 41 and 50 years old with 29.2%. Regarding the educational level, university students constituted the largest group (60.7%), followed by tourists with completed secondary studies (29.4%). Regarding professional activity, private employees (44.3%) and state employees (29.7%) made up the majority of the occupational groups in the sample. Most of the tourists (48.2%) had returned to the city of Mecca for the second time, followed by those who had visited it more than four times (25.4%). The majority group wanted to travel with their families (76.8%), followed by those who wanted to travel with their friends (14.8%). Most of the tourists stayed in the destination for four days and three nights (28.1%), or three days and two nights (29.1%) Finally, 36.5% of tourists claimed to have spent between USD 60,01 and USD 90 per day, followed by those who spent between USD 30,01 and USD 60 per day, with 24%.

5.2. Motivations in religious tourism

Factor analysis has been carried out to reduce the items to a smaller number of factors that facilitate interpreting the results. The Varimax rotation method was used to order the factors with the high and low factorial loads. The factors found were represented by 82.92% of the total variance. Cronbach’s Alpha of factors was between 0.987 and 0.935. Factorial loads were between 0.507 and 0.939, so all factorial loads were above the critical value of 0.50 suggested by Hair et al. [ 60 ]. The KMO index was 0.90, indicating an excellent relationship between the variables. In addition, Barlett’s test of sphericity was significant (p<0.05), so the factor analysis model was adequate. The results are shown in Table 1 .

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720.t001

According to the table, the first dimension has been called "religious" and is related to religious motivations, including seeking peace, attending religious festivals, appreciating or experiencing the grandeur of the churches, and relieving daily stress. This dimension included 68.99% of the total variance, making it the most important concerning the other factors. The second dimension has been called "social and cultural" and was related to the motivations to satisfy my curiosity, fulfill a lifelong desire, experience a different culture, appreciate and experience ancient architecture, and accompany friends or family. This dimension corresponded to 10.16% of the total variance. In contrast, the third dimension is "shopping", and it was related to the motivations to buy religious items and local items. This dimension included 3.78% of the total variance.

5.3. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and religious and social, and cultural motivations

To analyze the most important predictors in the "religious" and "social and cultural" motivations, the authors used the Multiple Enter Regression technique. Table 2 presents the results.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720.t002

In addition, there was no collinearity, with tolerance values between 0.7 and 1. No relationship was found between sociodemographic variables and "religious" motivation, so no sociodemographic variation has influenced religiously motivated tourists. Moreover, a negative relationship was found between "age" and "social and cultural" motivation (Beta = -0.158; p<0.002), so younger tourists were the most socially and culturally motivated. Likewise, a negative relationship has been found between "marital status" and "social and cultural" motivation (Beta = —0.301; p<0.000), so married tourists were the most motivated by social and cultural aspects. In addition, a negative relationship has been found between the "average daily expenditure per person" and the "social and cultural" motivation (Beta = —0.153; p<0.002), so the tourists who spent the least were the most socially and culturally motivated.

5.4. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and shopping motivation

A Multiple Enter Regression has been used to analyze the most important predictors in "shopping" motivation. The results are presented in Table 3 .

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720.t003

The regression model was significant in the F test (p < 0.05). There was no collinearity, presenting tolerance values between 0.7 and 1. A negative relationship has been found between age and motivation for shopping (Beta = -0.155; p<0.005), so younger tourists were the most motivated by shopping. These findings have answered the research question Q1: What is the relationship of socio-demographic aspects with motivation to visit Mecca?

5.5. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and satisfaction

A Multiple Enter Regression has been used to analyze the most important predictors of satisfaction. Table 4 presents the results.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720.t004

The F test (p < 0.05) of the regression model was significant. Tolerance values were between 0.7, and no collinearity was found. Average daily spending per person and satisfaction (Beta = -0.131; p<0.011) presented a negative relationship, so the tourists who spent the least amount of money were the most satisfied. These findings answered the research question Q2: What is the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims and satisfaction?

5.6. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and return and recommendation intentions

A Multiple Regression was used to analyze the most important predictors in return and recommendation. The results are presented in the Table 5 .

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720.t005

According to the results, the regression model was significant in the F test (p < 0.05), and there was no collinearity, presenting tolerance values between 0.7 and 1. A negative relationship was found between average daily expenditure per person and return intentions (Beta = -0.126; p<0.015). Likewise, a negative relationship was found between the average daily expenditure per person and the intentions of recommendation (Beta = -0.136; p<0.009), so that the tourists who spent the least were the ones who had the most intentions to return and recommend the destination.

5.7. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and saying positive things about destiny

To analyze the most important predictors in saying positive things about destiny, a Multiple Enter Regression has been used. The results are presented in the Table 6 .

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720.t006

F test (p < 0.05) of the regression model was significant. Tolerance values between 0.7 and 1 and no collinearity was found. The average daily expenditure per person and saying positive things about the destination (Beta = -0.156; p<0.003) revealed a negative relationship so the tourists who spent the least were the ones who said the most positive things about the destination. These findings answered the research question Q3: What is the relationship between socio-demographic aspects of pilgrims and loyalty?

6. Discussion

The first objective of this study was to establish the motivational dimensions of the pilgrimage to Mecca. The research revealed three motivational factors: religious, social and cultural, and shopping. This finding is in line with previous studies about religious tourism. Piramanayagam et al., [ 37 ] identified the following motivational factors for visiting the Buddhist site of Bodhgaya: religious belief, architecture, culture, history, and service quality. Liro et al., [ 32 ] found that the visitors’ motives of the pilgrimage center in Krakow (Poland) are pilgrimage, prayers, enjoying a new place, participating in a cultural event, shopping, and business meeting. The contribution of this manuscript to the academic literature is by identifying three motivational factors for travelling to the holy city of Mecca.

Moreover, this study pointed out that religious motives are the most relevant factors for a visit, followed by non-religious motives such as social and cultural motives and shopping. For example, Božic et al. [ 61 ] study of Vujan Monastery (Serbia) found that visitors’ motives are divided into two types: Religious (seek for forgiveness, show and express love towards God, pilgrimage, pray at the tomb of saint and healing) and secular (cultural value, see the architecture, historical value and enjoy the nature surrounding the monastery). Similarly, Rybina [ 38 ] found that pilgrims from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan visit Mecca for both religious (show love towards God, seek forgiveness and grow spiritually) and secular motives (learn about the culture and history of the sacred site).

This study aimed to identify the relationship between pilgrims’ socio-demographics aspects of and motivations as a second objective. Results showed that religious motivation (such as seeking peace, attending the religious festival, experiencing the holy atmosphere, and having the chance to see Mecca) does not depend on socio-demographic variables. Regarding social and cultural motivation, a negative relationship was found between age and those motivations. Younger visitors were most socially and culturally motivated. A negative relationship was also found between marital status and social and cultural motives, so married tourists were the most motivated. Moreover, a negative relationship was found between the average daily expenditure per person and the social and cultural motivation, so those visitors who spent the least were the most motivated socially and culturally. Finally, a negative relationship was found between age and shopping motivation regarding shopping motive. Therefore, younger tourists were the most motivated by shopping. These findings differ from Vistad et al. [ 44 ] about motives of pilgrimage to Nidaros, Norway, who found that solitude and meeting the locals/local heritage were more important for men than women. Education had no impact on motivational dimensions. Region/homeland influenced some motivational dimensions such as nature (knowledge and joy) being more important to other European pilgrims than to Norwegians while being in solitude was important to other European and German pilgrims than Norwegians. In another study by Irimias et al. [ 12 ] about the motives of Hungarians pilgrims to travel to religious sites in general and their relationship with their socio-demographic characteristics, there was a difference among age groups. For example, senior visitors travel to places where they can see religious sites, which is less important for young ones. Regarding faith, the motive of visiting for learning was more important to religious travelers than non-religious. Similarly, Pillai et al. [ 45 ] studied the impact of socio-demographic aspects on motivations to travel to St. Francis Xavier’s Holy Relics in Goa. They pointed out that socio-demographic aspects (age, gender, income, marital status, and education) did not influence on motivations (Experience religion, social Exploration, escape, experience belief, and shopping) to travel except for age. They found that those aged between 40 to 49 indicated that escape from daily routine was the most important motivation for travelling to sacred destinations. The discussion showed no inclusiveness in the results about the influence of socio-demographic aspects on motivations to travel to sacred sites. Therefore, there was an instant need to clarify this relationship in different religious destinations. Another contribution of this manuscript to the academic literature was finding negative relationship between some motives and socio-demographic aspects of visitors especially age, marital status, and the average daily expenditure per person.

The last objective of this research was to identify the relationship between socio-demographic aspects and variables of satisfaction and loyalty. This study has found a significant negative relationship between average daily spending per person and satisfaction regarding socio-demographic variables and satisfaction. Those results differ from the previous studies. For instance, Ahmad et al. [ 52 ] studied the impact of demographic aspects on the customer satisfaction of Malaysia Hajj Pilgrims. They found that gender, age, occupation and academic background had no significant difference in customer satisfaction. In contrast, Tatarusanu, et al. [ 54 ] investigated participating in the Saint Parascheva pilgrimage organized annually by Metropolitan Cathedral in Iasi, Romania. They found that only age and faith significantly impacted on satisfaction among the socio-demographic aspects of the study (age, education, area, income, gender, and faith). Regarding age, pilgrims aged 61 and above had the highest level of satisfaction, whereas the lowest level was among those younger than 20 years old. Concerning faith religious visitors who participated in the rituals had a high level of satisfaction compared to those who did not participate on regular bases and those who had no faith and did not participate.

In terms of loyalty, there is a paucity of studies conducted about the impact of socio-demographic aspects on it. This study has investigated three aspects: return intention, recommendation, and saying positive things. Generally, this study found a negative relationship between the average daily expenditure per person and loyalty. In detail, a negative relationship has been found between average daily expenditure per person and return intention, recommendation intentions, and saying positive things about the destination. In other words, visitors who spent the least were the ones who tended to return to the same destination, recommend the destination, and say positive things about the destination. Similarly, Bhat and Ahmad [ 55 ] studied tourists Jammu city for pilgrimage. They found that gender moderated the effect of destination image on satisfaction and loyalty of pilgrims. Thus, further studies should be conducted to understand the socio-demographic aspects impact on loyalty and generalize the results. Another contribution of this manuscript to the academic literature is the absence of negative relationship between socio-demographic aspects and satisfaction and loyalty variables. This relationship was found in the average daily expenditure per person variable.

In conclusion, more studies that relate socio-demographic variables and motivations are needed because the results of the available studies did not lead to conclusive results. The available studies and this one found that age and average daily expenditure per person have significant impact on motivations to travel to religious places. Likewise, average daily expenditure per person positively impacted the satisfaction and loyalty of these tourists.

Furthermore, the study has practical implications. First, the behavior disparities between older and younger religious tourists should be considered by all parties involved in managing religious sites. Therefore, it will be beneficial for service providers to segment those visitors according to their socio-demographic characteristics to ensure better services which can affect their satisfaction and loyalty. Hence, tourism should make improvements focused on tourists motivated by religion and on young tourists with offers related to social and cultural and shopping. Likewise, it should focus on tourists who want to spend less, with offers related to the social and cultural aspects since these tourists are the most satisfied and have greater loyalty to the destination. Moreover, this study can help managers of those religious sites in planning and implementing strategies that promote the importance of the religious site and enhance its position as a visitor’s attraction destination. Managers, marketers, and government representatives should advertise Mecca as a cultural and shopping hub in addition to a spiritual location. This announcement can be accomplished by promoting cultural events and Mecca retail areas like Souq Okaz (an old market that used to be hosted). Souq Okaz was recently recovered, and it has an array of cultural events including literary readings, exhibits of arts and crafts, and presentations. Other festivals and events can be organized throughout the year since lots of visitors visit Mecca around the year.

7. Conclusions

Religious tourism is a growing sector of the tourism market because of the many social and cultural changes in the 21st century. The interest in studying religious tourism stems from the fact that people live these days in a fast stead life resulting from the many changes in societies and thus tend to seek for calmness and spiritual growth. Pilgrimage centers worldwide are considered necessary for religious, heritage and cultural tourism. Despite pilgrimage centers’ popularity and increasing global importance, there is still a lack of knowledge about their dimensionality and impact of socio-demographic factors on the visit to these centers.

Among the main results of this study, we found three motivational dimensions for visiting the holy city of Mecca: religious, social and cultural, and shopping. Regarding socio-demographic aspects and motivations, the study found no relationship between those aspects and religious motivations. Concerning social and cultural motivation, a negative relationship has been found between socio-demographic variables (age, marital status, and average daily expenditure per person) and social and cultural motivation. Thus, younger tourists, married tourists, and tourists who spent less money were the most motivated by social and cultural aspects. Similarly, a negative relationship has been found between age and motivation for shopping. Thus, younger tourists were the most motivated by shopping. Moreover, this study found a negative relationship between average daily spending per person and satisfaction, so the tourists who spent the least were the most satisfied. Regarding loyalty, the authors found a negative relationship between average daily expenditure per person and other variables such as return intentions, recommendation intentions, and saying positive things about the destination. Hence, the tourists who spent the least were the ones who had intentions to return, recommend and say positive things about the destination.

Theoretically, the results mark a significant development in the investigation of Muslim tourists. Past research has focused mainly on the general motivation of the tourists with little significance attached to the Muslim family tourists, representing extensive and growing segments in tourism businesses. This study provides evidence for the experience effect by showing how respondents’ ages, marital status, and average daily expenditure per person affect the motivation of Muslim family visitors. Most importantly, this study is the first one that investigated the motivations, socio-demographic aspects, satisfaction, and loyalty of visitors to the holy city of Mecca since studies about those variables related to Islamic holy sites are scarce. Therefore, this study opens new doors for similar studies in the Islamic world and facilitates the understanding and nature of those destinations and visitors. This study discovered that socio-demographic factors significantly impacted visitor motivations, satisfaction, and loyalty particularly age and average daily expenditure per person. Findings provide significant knowledge to the literature on consumer behavior, Islamic tourism, motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty. This study strongly contributes to the academic literature because it is the first one that focused on Muslim family tourists to the city of Mecca in terms of their motivations, socio-demographic aspects, satisfaction, and loyalty.

The results of this study offer some important managerial implications to the marketers and authorities of the holy city of Mecca. It recommends that officials increase the religious motivations of these travelers by periodically researching their needs and organizing services to suit their desired spiritual experience. The results of this study could give the municipal of the city of Mecca insights of what motivates pilgrims to visit the holy destination of the Grand Mosque and this could encourage government to set strategies to ensure a better hosting of travelers. Also, to improve the social and cultural part, travel agencies and tourist companies to Mecca should promote social and cultural motivation among travelers in an appropriate way by providing service packages that involve visits to cultural and social sites such as museums and cultural centers. Also, to increase motivations for shopping, holy cities such as Mecca could build more shopping malls, traditional markets and restaurants offering high-quality local and international products, especially religious ones such as the Holy Quran, the rosary and dates. It could increase travelers’ satisfaction, make them prone to repeat visits, and recommend the destination to others. Services and activities in the city of Mecca should be varied to meet the different needs of different age groups, marital status, salary etc. Additionally, to enhance the social and cultural component, travel agents and tourism businesses in Mecca should appropriately encourage social and cultural motivation among visitors by offering service packages that include trips to social and cultural venues such museums and cultural centers. Additionally, holy places like Mecca might construct more malls, traditional markets, and restaurants that sell high-quality regional and worldwide goods, particularly religious ones like the Holy Quran, the rosary, and dates, in order to improve the motivation for shopping. It might boost visitors’ contentment, encourage them to return, and encourage them to recommend the place to others. Mecca’s services and events should be diverse to fulfill the requirements of people of all ages, marital statuses, income levels, and other categories.

This study has some limitations that should be taken into consideration. This research focuses on the visit to the holy city of Mecca. Other Islamic cities such as Najaf, Karbala, Mashhad Cairo, and Damascus can be investigated. In the future, other Islamic cities and mosques can be studied and the motivations for visit among them may be compared. However, this study’s main emphasis was the socio-demographic factors, motivations, satisfaction, and loyalty variables were the of. It will be necessary for the future to study additional factors, such as Islamic hospitality, Islamic tourist cultural values, Islamic beliefs, Islamic entertainment, Islamic morals, cultural variations, and how Muslims view tourism to improve Islamic tourism concepts globally. Data collection took time during spring. Thus, the impact of seasonality on the visit to the holy City of Mecca should be studied. Finally, because each country has its economic level, education, and age circumstances, the study’s context (Bahrain) limits the results’ generalizability to other countries for future research. Consequently, there can consequently be no inference regarding the findings’ applicability outside these situations. Moreover, using a country besides Bahrain aids our understanding, of why Muslims travel under specific circumstances.

Supporting information

S1 file. survey on the motivations to visit mecca..

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283720.s002

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Exploring India’s Spiritual Adventures: Pilgrimage Tourism in India

Post author By Mala Chandrashekhar
Post date February 20, 2024
No Comments on Exploring India’s Spiritual Adventures: Pilgrimage Tourism in India

Introduction:

India, a land of diverse cultures and traditions, is renowned for its spiritual heritage and sacred sites. Pilgrimage tourism holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people, both domestically and internationally. Each year, pilgrims embark on journeys to seek solace, enlightenment, and divine blessings at the numerous holy destinations scattered across the country. One of the key facilitators of this spiritual exploration is the concerted effort by various State Tourism Departments in India, which tirelessly work to promote and preserve the rich tapestry of pilgrimage sites.

Upholding Tradition and Spirituality:

Pilgrimage tourism in India is not just about visiting religious sites; it’s a profound journey of self-discovery and spiritual rejuvenation. From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas to the serene shores of southern India, every region offers a unique blend of history, mythology, and devotion. State Tourism Departments play a pivotal role in curating experiences that cater to the diverse spiritual needs of pilgrims.

Uttar Pradesh:

The Sacred Heartland Home to the holy city of Varanasi, the birthplace of Lord Rama (Ayodhya), and the sacred land of Mathura-Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh stands as a beacon of spiritual enlightenment. The State Tourism Department meticulously promotes these destinations, ensuring pilgrims have access to comfortable accommodations, transportation, and guides to navigate through the bustling streets and serene ghats.

Tamil Nadu:

The Land of Temples With its magnificent Dravidian architecture and vibrant temple festivals, Tamil Nadu beckons pilgrims from far and wide. The State Tourism Department organizes temple tours, cultural events, and heritage walks to showcase the rich legacy of Tamil Nadu’s religious fervor. From the towering gopurams of Madurai to the serene shores of Rameswaram, every corner reverberates with the chants of devotion.

Uttarakhand:

Gateway to the Gods Nestled amidst the majestic Himalayas, Uttarakhand is synonymous with spiritual bliss. The State Tourism Department promotes pilgrimage circuits encompassing the Char Dham (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath) along with revered sites like Haridwar and Rishikesh. Trekking trails, meditation retreats, and eco-friendly initiatives further enhance the pilgrim experience while preserving the pristine beauty of the Himalayan landscape.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana:

Abode of Faith The twin states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana boast a wealth of pilgrimage destinations, including the sacred Tirumala-Tirupati, the ancient city of Vijayawada, and the historic Warangal. The State Tourism Departments collaborate to showcase the cultural heritage and spiritual vibrancy of these regions through festivals, heritage tours, and hospitality initiatives.

Challenges and Opportunities:

While pilgrimage tourism in India continues to thrive, it also faces several challenges, including infrastructure development, crowd management, and environmental sustainability. State Tourism Departments must adopt innovative strategies to address these issues while preserving the sanctity and authenticity of pilgrimage sites. Collaborations with local communities, leveraging technology for visitor management, and promoting responsible tourism practices are essential steps toward ensuring a harmonious pilgrimage experience for all.

India is endowed with a plethora of pilgrimage sites and spiritual destinations spread across various states. Let’s explore how other State Tourism Departments contribute to promoting pilgrimage tourism:

Land of Temples and Forts Rajasthan, known for its vibrant culture and majestic forts, also boasts of several pilgrimage sites. From the revered Brahma Temple in Pushkar to the ancient Eklingji Temple in Udaipur, Rajasthan offers a unique blend of spirituality and architectural marvels. The State Tourism Department organizes religious tours that allow pilgrims to explore these sacred sites while experiencing the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Maharashtra:

Gateway to Spiritual Diversity Maharashtra is home to a diverse array of pilgrimage destinations, including the holy city of Nashik, the revered Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, and the ancient Ajanta and Ellora Caves. The State Tourism Department promotes spiritual tourism by organizing pilgrimage circuits, heritage walks, and cultural festivals that showcase the state’s deep-rooted religious traditions and historical significance.

Cradle of Buddhism and Jainism Bihar holds immense importance in the realms of Buddhism and Jainism, with sites like Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, and Rajgir being major pilgrimage centers. The State Tourism Department plays a pivotal role in preserving and promoting these ancient sites, offering pilgrims a chance to delve into the teachings of Lord Buddha and Mahavira amidst serene surroundings and historical landmarks.

Madhya Pradesh:

Abode of Devotion and Heritage Madhya Pradesh, often referred to as the heart of India, is adorned with numerous pilgrimage sites and heritage treasures. From the sacred temples of Ujjain and Omkareshwar to the spiritual hub of Chitrakoot, the state offers a spiritual haven for devotees and seekers alike. The State Tourism Department promotes pilgrimage tourism by organizing religious festivals, heritage tours, and eco-friendly initiatives that celebrate the rich cultural tapestry of Madhya Pradesh.

God’s Own Pilgrimage Land Kerala, known for its tranquil backwaters and lush greenery, is also home to a myriad of pilgrimage sites. The serene shores of Guruvayur, the sacred hills of Sabarimala, and the ancient churches of Kochi stand as testimony to Kerala’s spiritual heritage. The State Tourism Department promotes pilgrimage tourism by offering pilgrims opportunities for spiritual retreats, meditation sessions, and cultural exchanges that embody the essence of Kerala’s diverse religious traditions.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, pilgrimage tourism in India is not limited to a few states but extends across the length and breadth of the country. Each state, through its Tourism Department, endeavors to showcase the rich tapestry of spiritual diversity, cultural heritage, and architectural grandeur that defines India’s pilgrimage landscape. As pilgrims embark on their sacred journeys, they are greeted with open arms and warm hospitality, transcending boundaries to embrace the essence of unity and devotion that pilgrimage tourism embodies.

Pilgrimage tourism in India is more than just a journey; it’s a sacred odyssey that transcends boundaries of faith, culture, and geography. State Tourism Departments play a pivotal role in nurturing this spiritual legacy, offering pilgrims an opportunity to immerse themselves in the divine tapestry of India’s cultural heritage. As we embark on this sacred journey, let us embrace the spirit of unity, reverence, and enlightenment that pilgrimage tourism in India embodies.

By Mala Chandrashekhar

Introducing Blogger Mala Chandrashekhar - a specialist academically trained in modern Western sciences, yet deeply enamored with India's timeless ethnic arts, crafts, and textiles. Her heart beats for the rich and glorious cultural and spiritual heritage of India, and she has dedicated her entire blog to spreading the immortal glories of ancient India worldwide. Through her simple yet impactful blog posts, Mala aims to reach every nook and corner of the globe, sharing India's beauty and wisdom with the world.

But Mala doesn't stop at just sharing her own thoughts and ideas. She welcomes constructive criticisms and suggestions to improve her blog and make it even more impactful. And if you share her passion for India's culture and heritage, she extends a warm invitation for high-quality guest blog posts.

Ready to dive into the world of India's ageless beauty? Follow Mala on LinkedIn and join her in spreading the magic of ancient India to the world.

LinkedIn Profile : https://in.linkedin.com/in/mala-chandrashekhar-04095917a

Spiritual sojourns soaring: A boom in pilgrimage tourism fuels India’s travel industry

Driven by a desire for religious exploration and search for inner peace, a surge in pilgrimage tourism is rewriting travel trends. This growth is fueled by a potent mix of factors, from increased infrastructure and government initiatives to a shift in demographics., according to industry experts.

Also read: Bhutanese PM seeks Indian investments in tourism industry

There has been a sharp 102 per cent increase in searches for pilgrimage destinations like Ayodhya, Ujjain, Badrinath, and Amarnath in May 2024 (year-on-year), according to EaseMyTrip. This data, according to industry experts, reflects a growing yearning for spiritual experiences.

Amritsar, the holy city synonymous with the Golden Temple, takes the lead with a 22 per cent rise in flight searches for May 2024 compared to May 2023. Other prominent destinations like Tirupati and Varanasi are close behind, witnessing a 17 per cent and 10 per cent increase respectively in flight searches during the same period.

Spiritual tourism

“The popularity of spiritual tourism is evident from the staggering numbers… underscoring its importance to India’s economic growth,” according to Nishant Pitti, CEO and Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip. This growth, however, comes with a price tag. The surge in demand is pushing domestic airfares up by an estimated 7-10 per cent. Despite the rising costs, travellers remain enthusiastic, demonstrating the profound significance they place on their spiritual journeys, Pitti adds.

Hotels, particularly premium properties, in pilgrim destinations are anticipating record-breaking occupancy rates, thanks to the pilgrimage boom. Industry experts predict these hotels will reach 70-72 per cent occupancy for the financial years 2024 and 2025, the highest ever recorded. This translates to a significant financial boost, with Average Room Rates (ARRs) expected to climb to a range of Rs 7,800-Rs 8,000 by FY2025, according to EaseMyTrip. This rise in ARRs signifies a potential revenue growth of 7-9 per cent for the hotel industry, following a robust 14-16 per cent growth estimated for FY2024.

Traditionally, pilgrimage travel was associated mostly with senior citizens. However, the landscape is undergoing a fascinating shift. Tier-II cities and towns across India are now showing strong interest in pilgrimage tours, indicating a wider geographical reach for spiritual tourism.

Fascinating shift

Perhaps the most remarkable change is the evolving demographics, Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited, observes. “While historically India’s GenS (seniors) was the key segment for pilgrimages, we are witnessing a growing interest from the younger traveller segment comprising working professionals, millennials and GenZ.” Tour operators are catering to this new audience by offering innovative “pilgrimage plus” tours that combine religious experiences with local adventures, creating a well-rounded spiritual journey.

Also read: New visa system faces backlash in tourism-reliant Sri Lanka

Another interesting trend is the rise of family travel within the spiritual tourism segment. This highlights a growing desire for shared experiences that strengthen family bonds while fostering spiritual growth. According to SOTC, there has been a 20 per cent increase in travel spending, suggesting a preference for longer spiritual tours with a minimum duration of 3 days. This extended travel period allows families to delve deeper into the cultural and religious significance of their pilgrimage destinations.

The economic impact of this spiritual tourism boom is impressive. Projections indicate that spiritual tourism will generate a staggering ₹59 billion by 2028. This revenue stream, coupled with the expected creation of 140 million jobs by 2030, underscores the significant contribution this sector is making to India’s economic growth.

Published on May 19, 2024

The Meaning of Pilgrimage

In my previous post, Living the Eucharist as a Family , I mentioned that pilgrimages from four corners of the United States are taking place, ending in Indianapolis, IN for the Eucharistic Congress in July. Our Sunday Visitor notes this being one of the largest Eucharistic processions in history, roughly a 1,000 mile route!

I live in Connecticut, where the St. Elizabeth Seton route began after the Pentecost Vigil Mass at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven. St. Elizabeth Seton is the first American-born saint to be canonized, dedicating her life to offering free Catholic education to girls. Her work paved the way for what we know today as the parochial school system. The route will continue through one of the oldest dioceses in the U.S. and through the Appalachian Mountains.

Pilgrimages hold a special meaning in the Catholic faith. Pope Francis summed it up in an address during the Jubilee Year of Mercy back in 2016:

“Going on pilgrimage to the shrines is one of the People of God’s most eloquent expressions of faith…It would be erroneous to believe that those who go on pilgrimage live not a personal but an “en masse” spirituality. In reality, pilgrims bring with them their own history, their own faith, the light and dark features of their own life. Everyone bears in his or her heart a special hope and a particular prayer.”

a large crowd of people with flags and banners

I made two memorable pilgrimages five years ago. The first was in 2019 to the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA, run by the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. The second was in 2021 to the St. Joseph the Worker Shrine in Lowell, MA, run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. I hope to make another pilgrimage soon! The National Association of Shrine and Pilgrimage Apostolate (NASPA) has a national directory of shrines, listed by state.

National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA

St. Joseph the Worker Shrine in Lowell, MA

What pilgrimage(s) have you taken? More importantly, after going on one, how has the experience shaped you? While pilgrimages are journeys to holy places, it’s important to remember the significance the journey has on us. New Testament scholar, Fr. Felix Just, S.J., notes in an article entitled, The Power of Pilgrimage :

“The ultimate purpose of a pilgrimage, however, is not just to see sacred sites (“religious tourism”) but to grow in faith, become better disciples of Jesus, and encounter God more deeply.”

Fr. Felix highlights three important elements of a pilgrimage:

Educational : taking time to learn about the archaeological, biblical, and cultural aspects of the site you are visiting

Spiritual : focusing on spiritual transformation, facilitated by activities such as celebrating Mass, praying and singing together, doing the Way of the Cross

Communal : fostering community through sharing meals, group meetings, informal conversations, taking and sharing photos

Sometimes the destination for a pilgrimage isn’t always glamorous. God can lead us to places to open our eyes to see plights in other parts of the world. For me, that was a pilgrimage to Kibera in 2016, the largest urban slum in Africa. I made the pilgrimage with a friend I was working with at a Missionaries of Charity orphanage. The slum is his home and he invited me to see where he grew up. I was immediately met with drastic impoverished conditions: close proximity of living quarters, foul smells, pollution, etc. The pilgrimage was done silently, not to alleviate the situation or solve a problem, but to simply observe.

Experiences such as this challenged me to continue getting out of my comfort zone, to go on pilgrimages so that my faith remains rooted as I engage it in the world. Take the step today to go on a pilgrimage. It doesn’t have to be across the globe, it can be in your own community. The point is to open yourself up to a new community, culture, or way of life!

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International tourism reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024

All Regions
21 May 2024

International tourist arrivals reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024. According to UN Tourism, more than 285 million tourists travelled internationally in January-March, about 20% more than the first quarter of 2023, underscoring the sector’s near-complete recovery from the impacts of the pandemic.

In 2023 international tourist arrivals recovered 89% of 2019 levels and export revenues from tourism 96%, while direct tourism GDP reached the same levels as in 2019.

UN Tourism’s projection for 2024 points to a full recovery of international tourism with arrivals growing 2% above 2019 levels. In line with this, the newest data released by the UN specialized agency for tourism show that:

Yet it also recalls the need to ensure adequate tourism policies and destination management, aiming to advance sustainability and inclusion, while addressing the externalities and impact of the sector on resources and communities

The Middle East saw the strongest relative growth, with international arrivals exceeding by 36% pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2024, or 4% above Q1 2023. This follows an extraordinary performance in 2023, when the Middle East became the first world region to recover pre-pandemic numbers (+22%).
Europe , the world's largest destination region, exceeded pre-pandemic levels in a quarter for the first time (+1% from Q1 2019). The region recorded 120 million international tourists in the first three months of the year, backed by robust intra-regional demand.
Africa welcomed 5% more arrivals in the first quarter of 2024 than in Q1 2019, and 13% more than in Q1 2023.
The Americas practically recovered pre-pandemic numbers this first quarter, with arrivals reaching 99% of 2019 levels.
International tourism is experiencing a rapid recovery in Asia and the Pacific where arrivals reached 82% of pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2024, after recovering 65% in the year 2023.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "The recovery of the sector is very welcome news for our economies and the livelihoods of millions. Yet it also recalls the need to ensure adequate tourism policies and destination management, aiming to advance sustainability and inclusion, while addressing the externalities and impact of the sector on resources and communities".

By subregions, North Africa saw the strongest performance in Q1 2024 with 23% more international arrivals than before the pandemic, followed by Central America (+15%), the Caribbean and Western Europe (both +7%). Southern Mediterranean Europe exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 1%, while South America virtually reached 2019 levels. Northern Europe recovered 98% of pre-pandemic levels, while Subsaharan Africa and North America both recovered 95%.

According to available data, many destinations across the world continued to achieve strong results in Q1 2024, including Qatar (+177% versus Q1 2019), Albania (+121%), Saudi Arabia (+98%), El Salvador (+90%), Tanzania (+53%), Curaçao (+45%), Serbia (+43%), Turks and Caicos (+42%), Guatemala (+41%) and Bulgaria (+38%).

The robust performance of international tourism can also be seen in the UN Tourism Confidence Index which reached 130 points (on a scale of 0 to 200) for the period January-April, above the expectations (122) expressed for this period in mid-January.

International tourism receipts reached USD 1.5 trillion in 2023, meaning a complete recovery of pre-pandemic levels in nominal terms, but 97% in real terms, adjusting for inflation.

By regions, Europe generated the highest receipts in 2023, with destinations earning USD 660 billion, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 7% in real terms. Receipts in the Middle East climbed 33% above 2019 levels. The Americas recovered 96% of its pre-pandemic earnings in 2023 and Africa 95%. Asia and the Pacific earned 78% of its pre-crisis receipts, a remarkable result when compared to its 65% recovery in arrivals last year.

Total export revenues from international tourism, including both receipts and passenger transport, reached USD 1.7 trillion in 2023, about 96% of pre-pandemic levels in real terms. Tourism direct GDP recovered pre-pandemic levels, reaching an estimated USD 3.3 trillion in 2023, equivalent to 3% of global GDP.

Several destinations achieved remarkable results in terms of receipts in the first quarter of 2024 as compared to 2019 levels based on available data, including Serbia (+127%), Türkiye (+82%), Pakistan (+72%), Tanzania (+62%), Portugal (+61%), Romania (+57%), Japan (+53%), Mongolia (+50%), Mauritius (+46%) and Morocco (+44%).

Looking ahead to a full recovery globally in 2024

International tourism is expected to recover completely in 2024 backed by strong demand, enhanced air connectivity and the continued recovery of China and other major Asian markets.

The latest UN Tourism Confidence Index shows positive prospects for the upcoming summer season, with a score of 130 for the period May-August 2024 (on a scale of 0 to 200), reflecting more upbeat sentiment than earlier this year. Some 62% of tourism experts participating in the Confidence survey expressed better (53%) or much better (9%) expectations for this 4-month period, covering the Northern Hemisphere summer season, while 31% foresee similar performance as in 2023.

Challenges remain

According to the UN Tourism Panel of Experts, economic and geopolitical headwinds continue to pose significant challenges to international tourism and confidence levels.

IMF's latest World Economic Outlook (April 2024) points to a steady but slow economic recovery, though mixed by region. At the same time, persisting inflation, high interest rates, volatile oil prices and disruptions to trade continue to translate into high transport and accommodations costs.

Tourists are expected to continue to seek value for money and travel closer to home in response to elevated prices and the overall economic challenges, while extreme temperatures and other weather events could impact the destination choice of many travellers. This is increasingly mentioned by the UN Tourism Panel of Experts as a concern for the sector.

Uncertainty derived from the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Hamas-Israel conflict and other mounting geopolitical tensions, are also important downside risks for international tourism.

As international tourism continues to recover and expand, fuelling economic growth and employment around the world, governments will need to continue adapting and enhancing their management of tourism at the national and local level to ensure communities and residents are at the center of this development.

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Bodhgaya, India as a Buddhist Cultural Heritage Site: A Journey from Pilgrimage to Tourism

First Online: 24 May 2024

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Priyanka Ghosh 2 ,
Tania Chakravarty 3 &
Hansa Johari 4

Bodhgaya, a small town of 50,000 people in the state of Bihar, is one of the four key sites of Buddhism which every Buddhist aspires to visit in their lifetime. It is located 115 km south of Patna, the capital of Bihar and 16 km from the district headquarters, Gaya. About 2,550 years ago, at Bodhgaya, Siddhartha Gautama attained his enlightenment under a large peepal tree, later known as Bodhi Tree. During the time of Buddha, Bodhgaya was known as Uruvilva or Uruvela and covered by forest. Apart from the Bodhi Tree and Vajrasana (diamond throne), the central attraction of Bodhgaya is Mahabodhi Temple Complex which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002 considering its historical, cultural, and religious significance. The history of the Mahabodhi Temple Complex can be traced back to the period of Ashoka who addressed the place of Buddha’s enlightenment as Sambodhi and visited the site in 260 BC. In the seventh century the temple was known as Mahabodhi. Around the twelfth century the temple was completely ruined and was not restored up until the nineteenth century by the British colonial government. Since the declaration of Mahabodhi Temple as a World Heritage Site, both public and private sectors have taken much interest in developing Bodhgaya as a world class tourist site. The aim of this chapter is to trace this transformation of Bodhgaya from a revered Buddhist pilgrim site to a site of cultural heritage and tourism.

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Sr. Assistant Professor of Geography, VIT-AP School of Social Sciences and Humanities (VISH), VIT-AP University, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, India

Priyanka Ghosh

Vivekananda College (Affiliated to University of Calcutta), Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Tania Chakravarty

Research Scholar, Jharkhand Rai University, Ranchi, India

Hansa Johari

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Ghosh, P., Chakravarty, T., Johari, H. (2024). Bodhgaya, India as a Buddhist Cultural Heritage Site: A Journey from Pilgrimage to Tourism. In: Brunn, S.D. (eds) Geography of Time, Place, Movement and Networks, Volume 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-58033-8_7

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Friday, 24 May 2024

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Madhya Pradesh sees record breaking surge in spiritual tourism

The inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya earlier this year is being hailed as a pivotal moment in religious tourism, yet Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India, is already experiencing a significant surge in the sector with five out of the top ten most visited tourist destinations being spiritual sites. These include Ujjain, Maihar, Chitrakoot, Omkareshwar, and Salkanpur, reflecting the state’s rising popularity of spiritual tourism.

This trend has contributed to a record-breaking tourist footfall of 11.21 crore, showcasing substantial growth compared to 2022’s 3.41 crore visitors.

Ujjain, renowned as one of India’s holiest cities, emerged as the most popular tourist destination in the State, attracting over 5.28 crore spiritual seekers and tourists. It is revered as the abode of Lord Shiva and is home to the famous Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple, a major pilgrimage site for Shaivites. Ujjain also hosts the Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, attracting millions of devotees and tourists every few years. The city’s spiritual ambiance, ancient temples, and religious festivals make it a significant destination for spiritual tourism in Madhya Pradesh, contributing to the state’s cultural heritage and tourism sector.

“Number of footfalls not only surpassed pre-Covid levels but also positioned Madhya Pradesh as a leading tourist destination in India. Given that Ujjain among five religious sites have emerged as the top attraction, drawing over 5.28 crore pilgrims and tourists.

“This showcases the state’s growing prominence in religious tourism,” SheoShekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary of State Tourism and Culture on the occasion of Madhya Pradesh’s Tourism Day said here. Ujjain was followed closely by Maihar, with 16,849,000 tourists, as per the State Government data. Likewise, Indore, known for its historical landmarks and culinary delights, welcomed over 10 million tourists, making it a prominent destination in the state. Chitrakoot attracted 9,001,126 tourists seeking solace and spiritual enlightenment.

Omkareshwar witnessed a considerable footfall of 3,475,000 tourists whereas Jabalpur saw 2,669,869 tourists exploring its myriad attractions.

Salkanpur recorded 2,565,000 tourists, Narmadapuram, encompassing Pachmarhi, Madhai, Narmadapuram, and Adamgarh, witnessed 2,283,837 tourists and Raisen, boasting attractions like Bhimbetka, Sanchi, and Bhojpur, welcomed 2,137,058 tourists.Bhopal, the capital city known for its string of lakes, attracted 1,950,965 footfalls.

According to the State Government, while 2022 recorded 34,138,757 tourists, 2021 saw 25,595,668 tourists, and 2020 welcomed 21,400,693 tourists.

According to reports, religious tourism in India is moving North, projecting a CAGR of over 16% between 2023 and 2030. Post COVID, religious inclination of Indians has become stronger. Industry reports also indicate a significant rise in overnight journeys for pilgrimage & 14% rise in donations in the year 2021-2022, according to Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services as per reports.

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Pilgrimage tourism is the type of tourism that entirely or powerfully motivates tourists for the achievement of religious attitude and practices. One of the oldest types of visiting the attractions and a global experience in the olden times of spiritual growth, it can be differentiated into different forms. The temporary religious sightseeing ...
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This paper aims to conceptualize the pilgrimage and tourism relationship in the contemporary world. As the boundaries between pilgrimage and tourism have become blurred, there is a need to find a more holistic way to understand the nuances of the pilgrimage-tourism relationship. This conceptual paper argues that pilgrimage offers a stage for rejuvenation in the contemporary era. In the 21st ...
Pilgrimage tourism
Pilgrimage is an ancient form of mobility and a fundamental precursor to modern tourism. Traditionally, it applies to journeys with a religious purpose, but it can also refer to secular travel with particular importance for the pilgrim (Morinis 1992).Espousing a distinctive ritual structure, pilgrimage is often considered to be personally and collectively transformative.
Religious Tourism, Pilgrimage, and Cultural Tourism
Religious tourism started the moment man began to move due to a question of belief, that is to say, with a religious manifestation, the pilgrimage, being a pilgrim a tourist with religious motivation. Currently, according to UNWTO estimates, between 300 and 330 million tourists visit the main religious sites every year.
Introduction: Geography of World Pilgrimages. Social, Cultural and
In the first case, pilgrimage tourism has been consolidated as one of the areas of research with the greatest interest for tourism and religion (Nilsson and Tesfahuney 2017). 9. Pilgrimage is a transformative experience, enabled by the environment and rhythms different from those of everyday life (Nilsson and Tesfahuney 2019; Scriven 2014). The ...
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As such, pilgrimage and religious tourism is often considered a "soft" form of tourism—an alternative form of travel that leads to "mutual understanding[s] between the local population and their guests" while "not endanger[ing] the cultural identity of the host region and…tak[ing] care of the environment as best as possible" .
Religion, Pilgrimage, and Tourism: An Introduction
We argue Olympic tourism is a quasi-religious pilgrimage that moves participants closer to, and through, a spectacle event upholding certain socio-cultural ideals of the wider project of the ...
From pilgrimage to volunteer tourism: A spiritual journey in the
Findings and discussions. Analysis of the eight in-depth individual portraits reveals that the rejuvenation of pilgrimage is interwoven in the meaning, ritual, and transformative experience of international volunteer tourism (Polus et al., Citation 2022).Despite the changing nature of pilgrimage within religions and civilizations, pilgrimage can be seen to share these three common elements.
Sacred Journeys: Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage
Introduction. Pilgrimage, being an ancient practice and a global phenomenon, continues to gain a growing interest among scholars as its scope traverses many other disciplines and perspectives. As pilgrimage becomes a thriving category of tourism globally, it is deemed appropriate to look into it using different lenses including those of Islam ...
Pilgrimage
Given its presence in so many different cultural and historical contexts, no single meaning can be attributed to the act of pilgrimage.Structural similarities are discernible, however, across disparate traditions of sacred travel. Pilgrimage usually entails some separation (alone or in a group) from the everyday world of home, and pilgrims may mark their new identity by wearing special clothes ...
Cultural tourism as pilgrimage
Download Citation | Cultural tourism as pilgrimage | In this recent address to a UNESCO doctoral summer school in northern Italy, the author argues that all cultural tourism has underlying and ...
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The alternative view suggests that pilgrimage is a type of tourism (Olsen & Timothy, 2006; Ron, 2009). It is difficult to maintain the distinction between pilgrimage and tourism (Badone & Roseman, 2004). The boundaries between the concepts 'tourism' and 'pilgrimage', and 'tourist' and 'pilgrim' are blurring (Collins-Kreiner, 2010a).
Pilgrimage
Distinguishing pilgrimage from tourism, according to Frank Fahey; Element Pilgrimage Tourism; Faith: always contains "faith expectancy" not required Penance: search for wholeness: not required ... Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture. Sumption, Jonathan. 2002. Pilgrimage: An Image of Mediaeval Religion. London: Faber and Faber Ltd ...
Cultural tourism as pilgrimage
In this recent address to a UNESCO doctoral summer school in northern Italy, the author argues that all cultural tourism has underlying and implicit philosophical-religious dimensions that are particularly important in the era of "late capitalism," in which "the idiosyncratic has triumphed over the normative" and there is a deeply nihilistic drive and trajectory to the ascendant culture.
Sociodemographic relationships of motivations, satisfaction, and ...
Religious tourism is a growing sector of the tourism market because of the many social and cultural changes in the 21st century. Pilgrimage centers worldwide are considered important at the levels of religion, heritage, and culture of tourism. Despite the popularity of journeys to pilgrimage centers and their global importance, there is still a lack of knowledge about the dimensionality and ...
Religions
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Cultural tourism as pilgrimage
Cultural tourism as pilgrimage. Abstract In this recent address to a UNESCO doctoral summer school in northern Italy, the author argues that all cultural tourism has underlying and implicit philosophical-religious dimensions that are particularly important in the era of "late capitalism," in which "the idiosyncratic has triumphed over the ...
PDF Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism in Society, in the Wake of the COVID
community events, and other choices related to healing, eco-tourism, cultural tourism, study visits etc.". In regard to the members of the Greek Orthodox Church, pilgrimage ('proskinima') is a long and meaningful practice—although it is not an obligation—on which the salvation of the believer depends.
Tourism, pilgrimage and the sacred: At home or away
In another stimulating commentary on being "away," Thurot & Thurot (1983) claimed that tourism is the only major modern form of consumption that takes place far away from home, out of site of the usual social circle, so the "facts" brought home, are usually manipulated to enhance either the experience or the travellers!
Exploring India's Spiritual Adventures: Pilgrimage Tourism in India
Pilgrimage tourism in India is more than just a journey; it's a sacred odyssey that transcends boundaries of faith, culture, and geography. State Tourism Departments play a pivotal role in nurturing this spiritual legacy, offering pilgrims an opportunity to immerse themselves in the divine tapestry of India's cultural heritage. As we embark ...
Cultural tourism and urban management in northwestern Spain: the
This paper focuses on the analysis of four case studies: León, Astorga, Sarria and Santiago de Compostela. All of them have recently offered a programme of events related to the pilgrimage, although with very different degrees of success. These examples illustrate the way that cultural tourism has generated a new space and economic dynamics.
Spiritual sojourns soaring: A boom in pilgrimage tourism fuels India's
This extended travel period allows families to delve deeper into the cultural and religious significance of their pilgrimage destinations. The economic impact of this spiritual tourism boom is impressive. Projections indicate that spiritual tourism will generate a staggering ₹59 billion by 2028. This revenue stream, coupled with the expected ...
The rise and rise of spiritual tourism
In 2021, the numbers stood at 677 million and 1.05 million, respectively. • More than 60% of tourism in India is associated with religious and spiritual tourism. • The places of religious tourism earned 1,34,543 crore in 2022, up from 65,070 crore in 2021, as per data released by the Ministry of Tourism. • 2023 travel predictions claim ...
[PDF] Segmentation by motivations in religious tourism: A study of the
The present study, focused on pilgrimages as part of religious tourism, aimed to achieve the following objectives: Identify the motivations of the demand for religious tourism focused on pilgrimages; analyze the segmentation of the demand; identify the relationship between demand segments with satisfaction and loyalty; and establish the sociodemographic aspects that characterize demand ...
The Meaning Of Pilgrimage
The Meaning of Pilgrimage. Last updated on: May 22, 2024 at 9:56 pm. May 22, 2024 by Patrick Laorden. In my previous post, Living the Eucharist as a Family, I mentioned that pilgrimages from four ...
Tourists' visual attention and preference of intangible cultural
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a significant resource for integrating culture and tourism and an essential content of tourism development. This research used an eye-tracking experiment, a retrospective oral report, and a questionnaire survey to collect tourists' objective eye movement data and subjective preference for ICH. Results ...
International tourism reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels in the ...
21 May 2024. International tourist arrivals reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024. According to UN Tourism, more than 285 million tourists travelled internationally in January-March, about 20% more than the first quarter of 2023, underscoring the sector's near-complete recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. In ...
Bodhgaya, India as a Buddhist Cultural Heritage Site: A ...
This change has been encouraged by the tourism policies undertaken by the Bihar state government. Rooted in history, the aim of this chapter is to examine the transformation of Bodhgaya from a time-honored site of pilgrimage to a site of cultural heritage and tourism. Bihar tourism policy of 2009 has earmarked tourism as a state priority.
Madhya Pradesh sees record breaking surge in spiritual tourism
This trend has contributed to a record-breaking tourist footfall of 11.21 crore, showcasing substantial growth compared to 2022's 3.41 crore visitors. Ujjain, renowned as one of India's ...

What is pilgrimage tourism and why is it important?

What is pilgrimage tourism?

Why is pilgrimage tourism important?

Popular pilgrimage tourism destinations

Pilgrimage tourism-past, present and future rejuvenation: a perspective article

Design/methodology/approach

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Introduction

A past perspective on pilgrimage tourism research: from the 1960s through the 2010s

A future perspective: the rejuvenation of pilgrimage tourism

Conclusions

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Sociodemographic relationships of motivations, satisfaction, and loyalty in religious tourism: A study of the pilgrimage to the city Mecca

1. Introduction

2. Literature review

2.2. Socio-demographic aspects and motivations in religious tourism

2.3. Socio-demographic aspects related to satisfaction and loyalty in religious tourism

3. Study area

4. Methodology

5.1. Sociodemographic profile of the sample surveyed

5.2. Motivations in religious tourism

5.3. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and religious and social, and cultural motivations

5.4. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and shopping motivation

5.5. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and satisfaction

5.6. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and return and recommendation intentions

5.7. Relationship between sociodemographic variables and saying positive things about destiny

6. Discussion

7. Conclusions

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Exploring India’s Spiritual Adventures: Pilgrimage Tourism in India

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Bodhgaya, India as a Buddhist Cultural Heritage Site: A Journey from Pilgrimage to Tourism

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Friday, 24 May 2024

Agenda - The Sunday magazine

Madhya Pradesh sees record breaking surge in spiritual tourism

Trending News

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Go Digit shares debut with over 5 pc premium

Doesn't exactly fit into my lifestyle, Ponting turns down India head coach approach

BHEL shares tank nearly 8 pc after earnings

Four Indians accused of killing Khalistan separatist Nijjar appear before Canadian court

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