about religious tourism

Religious tourism- what is it and how does it work?

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Religious tourism makes up a big part of the tourism industry worldwide. Learn more about religious tourism, what it is and how it works in this article….

What is religious tourism?

Why is religious tourism important, missionaries, religious sightseeing, religious tourism in india, religious tourism in the philippines, religious tourism in italy, religious tourism in israel, religious tourism in turkey, religious tourism in poland, religious tourism- further reading.

Religious tourism is a branch of tourism which involves people travelling for religious purposes (like a pilgrimage ) or to see things of religious importance (sightseeing). It is also known as faith tourism. It also incorporates missionaries. Religious tourism isn’t just for religious people, of course. Many people who engage in religious tourism are actually of no religion themselves!

Religious tourism is an important branch of tourism for many reasons. It allows people to connect to their religion in a way they might otherwise not be able to – for example, a Muslim person living in a predominantly Christian country or area may have little opportunity to visit a mosque. They may also not have the chance to meet other Muslims very often. By visiting a place where Islam is the prominent religion, they might be able to build a better connection with their religion.

It also provides a way for humanity to preserve our common heritage. All religions are practised in different places across the globe, as humanity has spread through the centuries. By visiting religious monuments and locations, we are able to learn more about the histories behind different religions, making religious tourism a great form of educational tourism too.

Religious tourism also helps to provide funding for the upkeep and preservation of religious sites. Entry fees to places like the Vatican are useful when it comes to repairs and paying for the staff who maintain the physical aspect of the Catholic Church. As well as this, as more people visit certain areas, governments are forced to ensure that roads, water supplies and infrastructure are taken care of.

Religious tourism activities

There are various activities which can come under the arm of religious tourism. One major one is a pilgrimage. I have an in-depth article about this, which you can read here . A pilgrimage is an often lengthy trip to a place of particular significance to your religion. An example of this is Muslims visiting Mecca, or Catholics heading to Lourdes. You can find some other religious tourism activities below…

A missionary is a person sent on a mission by their religion. They are sent to an area in order to promote this religion, and also provide services that this area may need. The most famous missionaries are members of the evangelical church, a branch of Christianity. The term comes from the Bible, when Jesus himself used it to refer to sending his disciples to preach the gospel in his name. However, the term’ missionary’ can be used in relation to any religion.

The most popular form of religious tourism is sightseeing. This is something which many people do, regardless of their particular religion. Every year, over 5 million people visit the Vatican – and they are not all Catholics heading there to pray or connect to the religion. They are also people who are interested in art and architecture, or history buffs, or people who want to tick ‘visiting the world’s smallest country’ off their bucket list.

The same goes with people visiting other religious sites. They may not necessarily be religious themselves. Many are, of course, and visit these sites for reasons similar to why people go on pilgrimages. They want to connect with other people of the same religion, or visit a place that is important to the religion itself.

There are many places you can go if religious sightseeing is something you enjoy. You’ll find some popular ones below!

Religious tourism destinations

Pretty much every town and city across the globe has a church, mosque, temple, cathedral or synagogue (and so on) – which means religious tourism can take place anywhere. There are some places, however, where it is much more prominent than others.

Religious tourism in India is huge. Spirituality is a massive part of Indian culture , with the main religion being Hinduism. 79.8% of the population identify as Hindu, with 14.2% practising Islam and 2.3% being Christians. Sikhism and Buddhism, while not as popular in India now, were both actually founded here.

With that in mind, there are many places of religious importance to visit in India.

Haridwar and Varanasi are two famous religious places in India, and have been since ancient times. They are two sites with a lot of significance in Hinduism. Haridwar is where the River Ganges exits the Himalayan foothills, and there is a nightly river worshipping ceremony held here. Tiny flickering lamps are floated off the steps of the sacred ghat here. Varanasi is believed to have been the home of Lord Shiva, a prominent figure in Hinduism. Varanasi sees many pilgrims visiting in order to purify themselves by bathing in the River Ganges at sunrise.

There are also hundreds of beautiful churches, temples and mosques across the country which make for wonderful sightseeing.

The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country. 83% of residents are Roman Catholic, with other branches of Christianity being the next popular religion followed by Islam. There are many Catholic sites you can visit as a religious tourist. These include:

Monasterio de Tarlac, San Jose, Tarlac – with its statue very reminiscent of Christ the Redeemer in Rio
National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Marilao, Bulacan – with healing flower water in its basement
Tatlong Krus, Paete, Laguna – the site of three tall white crosses with breathtaking views, a popular pilgrimage site
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan – a replica of the grotto at Lourdes, with 14 Stations of the Cross
Manila Cathedral – inside the walled historic city of within the modern city of Manila

When it comes to religious tourism, Italy is one of the best places. You’ll find so many churches, cathedrals, museums and historic religious sites to visit whether you are religious or not. Being the location of the Vatican, which is the heart of the Catholic Church, it comes as no surprise! Statistics show that Italy is home to at least 1,500 shrines, 30,000 churches, and 700 diocesan museums. As well as this, there are a large number of monasteries and convents across the country.

Assisi is one of the most important places in Italy for religious tourism. This is where St Francis (patron saint of Italy) lived! His remains are buried at the basilica here.

Loreto is another important destination. People come here to visit the Basilica della Santa Casa, home to some of the relics of the holy house of Nazareth. Legend says this is the house where Mary would have grown up – and where she would have received the message of Jesus’ birth.

Rome , of course, is where you can go to visit the Vatican. St Peter’s Square is an incredibly important destination for religious tourism, as people flock here to catch a glimpse of – or be blessed by – the Pope.

More than half of tourists visiting Israel are religious tourists. Home of the Holy Land, it is no wonder that so many Christians and Jews come here. Recent statistics show that:

90% of all Christian tourists visited Jerusalem
89% visited Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee
86% visited Nazareth
85% visited the Dead Sea area
83% visited Capernaum
86% of pilgrims visited Bethlehem

Within these regions, there are so many places to see which are of religious importance to Christians and the people of the Jewish faith. These include Via Dolorosa, the Western Wall, Mount of Olives, the Church of the Nativity, the Church of the Annunciation and many more.

There is a lot of religious tourism in Turkey too. Here there are many churches, mosques, mausoleums, crypts and so on. Religious tourists can visit the ‘first church in the world’, which is the Church of Saint Peter. Located near Antakya, it is a cave carved into the mountainside. Saint Nicholas lived in Turkey, too, so there are various locations linked to him – including the alleged site of his burial in Demre.

It’s not just Christianity that is so present in Turkey. There are so many Islamic sites of importance across the country too. Istanbul is home to the only remaining items of clothing of the prophet Muhammad; there are beautiful mosques in every area of the country, and you’ll be able to hear the call to prayer wherever you are.

Poland is another destination which is popular for religious tourism. One very popular site is the Pauline Monastery on Jasna Góra in Częstochowa. This is where tourists can find the blessed icon of the Black Madonna, worshipped globally. Wadowice is the birthplace of Pope John Paul II – and there is a lot of information about him in Krakow too, as the two places are relatively close. Generally, the country has many beautiful churches and monasteries. These make for brilliant sightseeing trips, a major part of religious tourism as stated above.

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February 28, 2019

Peter Wiltshier

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Religious Tourism: What is it and why is it so important?

Religious tourism is one of the earliest forms of tourism and is a fast growing market. Here, Peter Wiltshier, Consultant Researcher Community & Tourism Development NZ at Research Consultancy NZ, New Zealand , explains what it is and why it is so important.

View to Jerusalem old city, Israel

What is religious tourism?

Religious tourism has taken place since the dawn of civilisation. Pilgrims travelled to pay homage to the sacred places and their guardians throughout the world. Tourism to sacred sites has merged with pilgrimage in the past 2,000 years. More recently, in the past 200 years wealthy Europeans visited special sites of sacred ritual in both the New World and throughout Europe.

Why is it so important?

Sites of special sacred significance have been visited for millennia. What is now important is that these sites need protection, conservation and interpretation. There are few guardians of these special places of worship and visitation and even fewer sources of funds to maintain and manage sites for visitors and worshippers. We do make a distinction between worshippers and visitors, as the religious sites cater for both in roughly equal amounts at some very special places like Lourdes in France and Fatima in Portugal.

Religious tourism in history

The management of religious tourism presents many challenges that are unique in both breadth and application. Sites of religious significance have existed since biblical times and pilgrimage in the Judeo-Christian context is mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, for example, in the story of Elkanah, who travels annually to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice (1 Samuel 1:1-28). It is also present in the New Testament Pentecost story, when Jews from all over the world went to Jerusalem for the Passover (Acts 2: 1-12). Many of these sites still exist and other sites, although not as old, have considerable heritage value. The management of heritage sites present particular problems, one of which relates to the cost of maintenance.

Managing sites of religious tourism

Most religious sites are owned by religious organisations, and this may cause challenges for their management, as they must balance the needs of worshippers with those of their visitors. Mosques are at the centre of Islamic tourism and are visited by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Muslims may visit mosques while travelling as a tourist attraction or as a place of worship. Many mosques have a dual role, functioning as both a place of worship and as a community centre. The role of community centre means that the mosque will be open for functions and festivities that are not strictly religious in nature and may include non-Muslims.

Muslim countries, such as those in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcome tourism, especially religious tourism. But they make a distinction between pilgrimage, the most well know being the Hajj, and other forms of religious tourism. While non-Muslims are welcome at sites such as mosques, they are not welcome at the Hajj. The Hajj is one of the most important forms of pilgrimage today with millions of Muslims travelling to Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia and, without question, the most important Muslim pilgrimage. It is therefore important to distinguish between Muslim travellers to Muslim sites and non-Muslim visitors to these sites. For example, it is not acceptable for non-Muslims to enter the region of Hejaz where the cities of Mecca and Medina are located. There is some conflict related to ‘ownership’ of these sites, and this is discussed below. Other religions have similar problems in relation to conflicting motivations.

Visitors and worshippers

One of the conflicts that has been noted is between visitors to religious sites and worshippers. While many visitors see worshippers as part of the experience, some worshippers do not like the feeling of being observed. Worshippers do not want to feel that they are part of a ‘show’, but are happy to share their religious space, and are proud of the architecture and history that attracts visitors to the site. Sacredness does not readily cross cultural boundaries. What is viewed as sacred by one group, such as congregants, may be seen as culturally interesting by another visitor group. Given that some visitors may wish to engage in worship, Church authorities may need to determine when a request to participate in a service should be accepted as an expression of genuine interest and/or intention.

Developing sites of special significance requires the dissemination and sharing of both intellectual and practical contributions to meet those needs in a planned and stakeholder-driven approach. Traditional approaches to development emerged half a century ago with a focus on core competencies and the agreed understanding that open and fair competition would raise quality and assure reasonable profit margins. It is important to create awareness of services and products and map those to marketing practices.

Analysis and synthesis through primary research enable cleric and manager to grasp visitors’ and worshippers’ needs and develop audiences for sites. In the book, we present the importance of maintenance and plans for developing sites to accommodate factors in both internal and external environments that acknowledge the requirement to remain competitive.

How can religious tourism sites stay competitive?

The importance of networks, grappling with the wider community and perhaps establishing a wider, even global, reach, is appraised as important. In seeking to tap into resources traditionally not employed in managing religious and pilgrimage sites, we elevate the need for an enterprise culture.

Our book features great practices for supporting tourism to sites of worship and pilgrimage from China and Nepal through to Salt Lake City, Australia and diverse but important sites in England, Hungary, Spain, and Ireland. Emerging practices in festival and event management at these sites are coupled with new interpretation through the use of virtual reality technology. Emerging good practices for emulation come with sites that are now employing funding managers prepared to manage the risks of increased visitation against the pressures to conserve and protect the ancient sites at the centre of the visitor experience.

This post also appears on the University of Derby blog .

Managing Religious Tourism is now available from the CABI Bookshop.

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Religion and Tourism

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“Religion” is a Western conceptual term used by Western scholars to draw parallels between Western notions of what constitutes religion and similar constructs in other societies through cross-cultural comparison. Its many scholarly definitions have tended to be either very broad, vague, and ambiguous, or too restrictive to be of use. Because definitions of religion are in a large part the historical product of Eurocentric and Christian discourses, and because of the almost innumerable theological, cultural, and tangible manifestations of it in various world regions and cultural contexts, defining what represents religion is difficult at best.

Religion is generally viewed as a belief in God/gods/spiritual beings or the search for the meaning of human existence. However, it also revolves around discourse s that transcend the human, temporal, and contingent and that claims for itself a similarly transcendent status; a set of practices whose goal is to produce a proper world and/or proper...

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Bremer, T.S. 2004. Blessed with tourists: The borderlands of religion and tourism in San Antonio . Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press.

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Olsen, D.H. (2022). Religion and Tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_158-3

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19 Facts About Religious Tourism

Written by Becki Salvador

Modified & Updated: 20 May 2024

Religious tourism, an age-old phenomenon, intertwines the quest for spiritual significance with the desire to explore new cultures and destinations. Religious tourism is not just about visiting sacred sites; it's a journey that offers a deeper understanding of the world's diverse faiths and their cultural heritages. From the serene Vatican City to the historic streets of Jerusalem and the tranquil temples of Kyoto, each destination provides a unique glimpse into the spiritual and architectural marvels that have shaped civilizations. This form of tourism attracts millions, from devout pilgrims to curious travelers, all seeking either enlightenment, peace, or simply a connection to something greater than themselves. Through visiting these sacred spaces, tourists not only enrich their spiritual lives but also contribute to the local economies, making religious tourism a vital aspect of global travel.

What is Religious Tourism?

Religious tourism, also known as faith tourism, involves people traveling to sacred places, participating in religious festivals, or going on pilgrimages as part of their faith practices. This type of tourism is not only about spirituality but also about exploring the rich cultural and historical heritage associated with religious sites.

Religious tourism is one of the oldest forms of travel in the world, tracing back to ancient times when pilgrimages were made to sites like Jerusalem, Mecca, and Varanasi.

Popular Destinations for Religious Tourism

Vatican City , home to the Pope and the spiritual center for Catholics worldwide, attracts millions of visitors each year, making it a top destination for religious tourists.

The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the most sacred place in Islam. Every Muslim is required to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able to do so.

Jerusalem holds profound significance for Christians, Jews, and Muslims , featuring sacred sites such as the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock.

The Impact of Religious Tourism

Religious tourism can significantly boost local economies by providing income through accommodation, food, and souvenir sales.

However, it also poses challenges, including environmental degradation and the potential for overcrowding at sacred sites, which can affect their preservation and the visitor experience.

Unique Forms of Religious Tourism

Pilgrimages are a major component of religious tourism, with routes like the Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Kumbh Mela in India drawing thousands of pilgrims.

Spiritual retreats offer tourists a chance for reflection and connection with their faith in tranquil and secluded settings .

The Role of Festivals in Religious Tourism

Religious festivals, such as Diwali in India, Eid al-Fitr in Muslim countries, and Christmas markets in Europe, attract tourists looking to experience the cultural aspects of these celebrations.

The Kumbh Mela, held every twelve years in India, is recognized as the world's largest religious gathering, with millions of Hindus participating.

Challenges Facing Religious Tourism

Balancing the needs of tourists with the preservation of sacred sites is a continuous challenge for authorities managing religious tourism destinations .

Ensuring the safety and security of tourists, especially in regions with political instability or where large crowds gather, is paramount .

The Future of Religious Tourism

With the rise of virtual reality and online experiences, virtual pilgrimages and tours of sacred sites are becoming more popular , offering an alternative for those unable to travel.

Sustainable religious tourism practices are being developed to minimize negative impacts on the environment and local communities while preserving the spiritual and cultural integrity of sacred sites.

The trend towards experiential travel is influencing religious tourism, with tourists seeking deeper, more personal connections with the faiths and cultures they explore.

Religious Tourism and Interfaith Understanding

Religious tourism fosters interfaith understanding and tolerance by exposing tourists to the beliefs, traditions, and practices of different religions.

Participating in or observing religious ceremonies and festivals can provide insights into the common values and shared human experiences across different faiths.

The Economic Benefits of Religious Tourism

For many regions, religious tourism is a major source of foreign exchange earnings, supporting jobs in the tourism sector and beyond.

Investments in infrastructure to accommodate religious tourists can also benefit local communities by improving transportation, healthcare, and other public services .

Religious tourism offers a unique blend of faith, culture , and history, providing enriching experiences for millions of people around the world. Whether through pilgrimages, festivals, or spiritual retreats, it plays a significant role in promoting cultural understanding and economic development .

A Final Look at Spiritual Journeys

Religious tourism isn't just about visiting sacred sites; it's a deep dive into the heart of cultures, beliefs, and traditions that have shaped human history. From the serene temples of Kyoto to the ancient streets of Jerusalem, each destination offers a unique window into the soul of societies. These journeys go beyond mere travel; they're an exploration of faith, an opportunity for personal reflection, and a chance to connect with something greater than oneself. Whether you're seeking enlightenment, peace, or simply a deeper understanding of the world's religions, embarking on a spiritual journey can be a transformative experience. Remember, it's not just about the places you visit, but the insights you gain and the memories you create along the way. So, pack your bags with an open heart and an eager mind, ready to explore the rich tapestry of religious tourism.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

10 Dec 2014

Tourism can protect and promote religious heritage

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PR No. : PR 14083

Sustainable development of tourism at religious heritage sites was in focus at the International Conference on Religious Heritage and Tourism: Types, trends and challenges , jointly organized by UNWTO, the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism of Spain and the City Hall of Elche (27-28 November 2014, Elche, Spain).

With this backdrop, the International Conference on Religious Heritage and Tourism explored the main challenges and best practices for sustainable tourism development at religious sites in the city of Elche, Spain, home to the Mystery Play of Elx, the last living testimony of European religious theatre of the Middle Ages and declared a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

“Among the many motivations for travelling, visiting cultural or religious sites ranks high on travelers’ wish lists. Leveraging the growing interest for religious tourism worldwide is not only beneficial for the tourism sector, but crucial in building cultural dialogue and peace”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, opening the Conference. “Religious tourism can also be a powerful instrument for raising awareness regarding the importance of safeguarding one´s heritage and that of humanity, and help preserve these important sites for future generations”, he added.

The Secretary of State for Tourism of Spain, Isabel Borrego, highlighted the fruitful cooperation between UNWTO and Spain in further spreading awareness of the value of historical, cultural and artistic heritage, and stressed the importance of this particular tourism segment for Spain. "There is not a single town or city in Spain where you won’t find traditions, festivals religious celebrations, pilgrimages, monasteries, cathedrals or pilgrimages. Religious tourism boosts economic activity and helps safeguard our rich historic heritage, and will play an essential role in the future of the tourism sector."

The Mayor of Elche, Mercedes Alonso García, said: “Tourists are not only seeking to experience nature but also the most deeply rooted creations of the human spirit. In this sense, and as this conference has shown, a quality tourism offer consists of tangible cultural and religious heritage, as well as the intangible realities and cultural events fostered by them."

During the Conference, participants highlighted the role of religious heritage sites and religious traditions in educating future generations and creating a sense of belonging in host communities, the need to preserve the integrity and authenticity of these sites and having local communities benefiting from tourism development.

Participants also highlighted that tourism has become one of the forces driving preservation in many religious sites due to the growing secularization of society, and that for tourists interacting with other religions is a unique experience that can only happen within the full respect for host communities.

Useful links:

International Conference on Religious Heritage and Tourism: Types, Trends and Challenges

UNWTO Regional Programme for Europe

UNWTO Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218

Research on the Development of Religious Tourism and the Sustainable Development of Rural Environment and Health

Hsiao-hsien lin.

1 Department of Leisure Industry Management, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung 41170, Taiwan

2 Department of Tourism Management, Athena lnstitute of Holidtic Wellness, Wuyi University, No 26, Wuyi Avenue, Wuyishan 354300, China

3 Institute of Physical Education and Health, Yulin Normal University, 1303 Jiaoyu East Rd., Yulin 537000, China; wt.moc.oohay@861961g

Jao-Chuan Lin

4 Department of Marine Leisure Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 811213, Taiwan; wt.ude.tsukn@lcj

Zhou-Fu Liang

5 School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Nanning Normal University, No. 175 Mingxiu East Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning 530001, China

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The purpose of the research is to explore how to reach a consensus on the development of cultural tourism and the sustainability of the entire rural environment from the perspective of different rights holders. Using Beigang Township in Taiwan as a case study, we first conducted a questionnaire survey and analyzed 600 respondents by statistical verifications method, then used an interview method to compile suggestions from experts and scholars, and finally conducted a field survey to collect actual information. After summarizing, organizing, and analyzing all the data, the study was examined in a multivariate manner. This study concludes that creating parking spaces, providing a comfortable resting place, facilitating the exchange of ideas, and improving the environmental literacy of the public will increase the public attention to issues such as village visibility, people interaction, ancient architecture, culture and totems, public health and transportation, and entrepreneurial development, as well as address the concerns of local residents and some men and people over 31–40 years old. By doing so, we can improve community building and security, enrich cultural resources, build and develop sufficient industries, stabilize prices, obtain a safe and hygienic village environment, increase the desire to revisit, become a recommendation for family travel, and achieve the goal of sustainable development of rural environment and health.

1. Introduction

Cultural tourism has gradually become an important source of income for the tourism industry. It is also a tourism asset that countries are investing in and developing one after another. Sites, architecture, art, festivals, religions, pilgrimages, etc., cultural relics or behaviors that can be remembered can be called cultural tourism resources [ 1 ]. However, general tourism resources will gradually be consumed due to the time and degree of use [ 2 ], and maintenance cost is required. However, religious beliefs and culture will not be exploited and consumed for development purposes, resulting in the exploitation or depletion of cultural resources that are increasingly impure. Instead, because of the uniqueness of local religious beliefs and culture, they are recognized by the public and attract more believers to worship them [ 3 ], which in turn adds to the mystery of local culture and makes local religious beliefs and culture more valued and preserved by the public [ 4 ]. It can be seen that religious cultural tourism resources are sustainable and have considerable potential for improving the current situation of rural development.

Religious culture is a unique belief in Chinese society. The belief in gods and goddesses arises when people face unpredictable natural or man-made disasters, or events beyond their ability, and seek spiritual support in the hope that the gods will bless them and their families to be safe, secure, and even prosperous [ 5 ]. Wude Temple was founded in 1955 and has a history of more than 30 years. It has become a famous temple of wealth on both sides of the Taiwan Strait [ 6 ].

Because of the frequent transmission of cultural deeds, the temple has won the trust of the faithful. In less than half a century, more than 6000 branches have been established on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, making the belief in the god of wealth one of the most rapidly developing beliefs in Taiwan [ 7 ]. Since 2010, the current authorities have combined the concept of cultural and creative industries to transform the operation of the temple with an innovative commercial management model. Blue Ocean strategy, intelligent innovation, and online platforms are applied to adapt to the competitiveness. Facilities and activities such as robots, five-way gods of wealth cards, cafes, and the Triacademy attract more consumers [ 8 ]. Despite natural disasters in 2019–2020 and Taiwan’s overall economic downturn, the Lunar New Year Festival attracted more than 100,000 people [ 9 ]. Successive national holidays have brought in tens of thousands of people. On average, the temple attracts at least 4 million worshippers each year [ 10 ], indirectly creating more than a million business opportunities. This shows that Wude Temple has established itself in the hearts of the Taiwanese people and has become an indispensable part of their faith, bringing new opportunities for economic development to Beigang, which was originally an agricultural area.

Although religious beliefs and culture are specific to a region and have a unique appeal, they can attract people’s interest to experience or participate in them, leading to tourism or consumer behavior and indirectly generating the flow of people and capital. However, while tourism development is a major contributor to the economic development of villages, there are always oversights in management decisions and can have positive and negative impacts on the economy, society, and the environment [ 11 , 12 , 13 ], affecting local sustainable development.

Moreover, the impact of tourism development is not instantaneous but requires time to prove, and usually occurs after the end of tourism activities [ 12 , 14 , 15 ]. Especially with the development of Internet technology and software technology [ 16 ], coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic [ 17 ], people have begun to change their behaviors and choices in tourism activities. In order to understand the changes generated by the development, exploring from the perspective of the residents can provide insight into the real state of local changes [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ], and exploring from the experience of tourists can understand the real effectiveness and shortcomings of tourism development promotion [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Religious and cultural promotion of tourism development can unite society, give people spiritual support, promote economic circulation, and improve the community environment, but it can also cause an increase in local social events, inflate consumer costs, leave behind waste, and cause air and environmental pollution. Therefore, in order to achieve sustainable village development, we must not capture the views of a single target group but must ensure that both residents and visitors have a basic understanding of environmental literacy and a consensus on sustainable development, in order to achieve the goal of promoting sustainable economic development in villages through religious culture. By exploring the development dilemma from both residents’ and visitors’ perspectives, not only can we obtain a more nuanced view of the problem [ 18 , 22 , 23 ], but we can also obtain a consensus between them to solve the di-lemma they face.

Furthermore, according to the literature in the National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan, although the current research on religion, culture, and tourism are mostly qualitative in terms of investigating cultural characteristics and assets [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ], followed by the awareness of religious activities [ 2 , 16 , 27 ], and cultural creativity and merchandise [ 28 ], the most quantitative research is on the impact of religious and cultural tourism [ 29 , 30 ]. However, there are only two studies on the Wude Temple of the God of Wealth in Beigang, Yunlin, and only qualitative studies on religious culture [ 5 ] and temple business model [ 8 ], and no other studies have been conducted to investigate the impact of religious culture development on local tourism development.

Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to understand the impact of religious and cultural tourism activities on the development of rural communities and the surrounding environment. From the perspective of environmental perceptions of people from different backgrounds, the study aimed to present the views on the impact of development on the current situation of local communities and the surrounding environment after the promotion of tourism activities with cultural resources in rural areas, to identify the shortcomings of development, and to propose suggestions for improvement towards the goal of common prosperity.

1.1. The Importance of Environmental Literacy to the Development of Cultural Tourism

Cultural tourism is the act of using cultural artifacts, historical relics, and ancestral cultural creations as resources to attract tourists to travel and spend money. Culture is an inseparable tourism asset for the tourism industry [ 31 ]. However, cultural tourism cannot be properly developed without a beautiful natural environment, convenient traffic planning and transportation, and sales services of related industries and commodities in the vicinity [ 32 ]. It is clear that the promotion of cultural tourism still requires the integration of local economic, social, and environmental resources, and joint planning and development in order to effectively promote cultural tourism.

However, tourism development cannot be achieved overnight as it requires public recognition and cooperation for effective planning and development [ 18 , 22 , 23 ]. There has been a long-standing positive and negative debate on tourism development [ 11 , 12 , 13 ], which has not yet been properly resolved. The main reason is that tourist travel or consumption behavior has an impact on local economic, social, and environmental conditions, while residents continue to change the existing economic, social, and environmental conditions in order to obtain rich rewards and improve their quality of life [ 23 ]. As the global environment becomes more and more degraded and the problems arising from tourist behavior become more and more serious, individuals and society recognize the interaction between their living environment and the surrounding natural environment and the need to focus on individual or collective solutions to present or future environmental problems [ 33 ] and, therefore, begin to advocate environmental education and to appreciate its value deeply.

The value of environmental education is to enhance people’s environmental awareness and sensitivity, knowledge of environmental concepts, environmental values and attitudes, environmental action skills, as well as environmental action experiences [ 34 ]. In addition to the goals of technological integration, proactive participation in the problem-solving, balanced world and local perspectives, sustainable development, and international cooperation [ 35 ], environmental literacy should be cultivated so that citizens have basic environmental values and can effectively judge the strengths and weaknesses of development and help improve the current situation to achieve sustainable development. This shows that although culture may be damaged by tourism development if people can improve their knowledge of environmental education, be sensitive to tourism development, and develop environmental literacy, they will be able to reduce the negative impacts of tourism development and achieve the goal of sustainable development.

1.2. Establishment of Environmental Literacy Helps People Develop Cultural Tourism

Tourism is a global industry and a major economic source, but with global climate change, the problem of carbon emission and waste pollution from tourism activities is becoming more and more serious, so governments have started to pay attention to this problem actively [ 36 ]. The best way to solve the problems caused by tourism development is to improve the direction of development decisions and raise the level of environmental literacy of the people [ 37 ] so that decision-makers and the public can move toward a sustainable attitude toward tourism development decisions. It can be seen that exploring the current state of tourism development with people’s current attitude toward environmental literacy is a good way to examine the effectiveness and shortcomings of sustainable development of tourism decisions.

Tourism is generally seen as an important means of promoting local economic development [ 10 ], increasing local employment opportunities, improving local infrastructure, tax revenues, foreign investment, etc., and thus attracting more industries to the area [ 38 ], which not only contributes to the local economy but is also very beneficial to the economic positioning of the area [ 39 ]. The economic impact is easier to measure, has a more robust methodology, and is more convenient and reliable in terms of the amount of data available, and the economy is also the core interest of tourism development policy [ 40 ], so the issue of economic impact has been emphasized earlier than social and environmental impact.

The economic impact can be examined in terms of the price of people, industrial construction, and village development [ 16 ], which can lead to entrepreneurship and employment opportunities, increased wage income, increased tourism construction, increased tourism industries, the integration of local specialty industries, increased leisure opportunities, integrity of public facility maintenance, tourism development feedback to the community, convenience of public transportation, increased local health standards, development protection policy settings, development of creative goods and increased expenditure costs, and increased land and housing prices [ 16 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. Therefore, the researcher believes that the most accurate economic impact factors can be obtained by examining employment, wages, consumption, construction, industry, facilities, prices, incentives, health, cultural and creative activities, community feedback, and policy coordination.

The social impact is brought about by the intervention of tourism development, which can positively promote cultural and lifestyle communication, reduce population outflow, and maintain a more robust social structure, as well as contribute to the preservation of local culture due to the importance of tourism; a tendency for social relations to become increasingly indifferent and self-serving, and the negative effects are the change in the local social system, the possible deviation of individual behavior, the growing coldness and utilitarianism of social relations, and the local social conflicts due to racial discrimination [ 42 ]. These include improved material living conditions, diversification of occupational structures, decreasing trends of out-migration, narrowing of racial barriers, increased community openness, increased community conflicts, and seasonal unemployment generation and crime [ 43 ]. It will also influence the popularity of tourism, improve the quality of local tourism services and activities, increase leisure opportunities, encourage participation in community tourism affairs, provide sufficient local tourism indicators and options for recreational facilities, strengthen tourism development organizations, attract young people to return to their hometowns, preserve indigenous cultures, raise expenditure costs, increase land and housing prices, highlight local architectural features, make visitors feel friendly, interact well with residents, and increase cultural exchanges across the strait, and provide sufficient police and security personnel, and increase the willingness of people to revisit or purchase property in the area [ 20 , 21 , 44 ]. Therefore, the researcher believes that the most accurate social impact factors can be obtained by looking at tourism facilities, community building, living atmosphere, cultural security, and then exploring the aspects of popularity, service and activity quality, policy participation, tourism organization planning, cultural and architectural characteristics, security maintenance, community building, and public interaction.

There are two sources of environmental impacts, the first is the impact of the tourism activity itself, and the other is the impact of the facilities provided for the tourism activity [ 45 ]. The physical environment can be divided into the human-made environment and the natural environment, including soil erosion, vegetation destruction, and ecosystem changes [ 21 , 46 ]. The impact of the man-made environment includes traffic congestion, noise, and garbage caused by the increase of population, and the lack of space and environment resulting in the overload of physical facilities [ 16 , 20 ], and the impact of a large number of new era buildings forming an incongruous landscape with the existing facilities [ 43 ]. Therefore, researchers believe that the most accurate environmental impact factors can be obtained by looking at tourism and leisure facilities, natural ecosystems [ 21 , 22 , 23 ], public transportation, parking and open space, environmental quality of tourists, garbage, motor vehicle fumes, water, and air quality.

1.3. Analyze the Importance of the Relationship between Perceptions of Tourism Shocks and Willingness to Re-Tourism to Establish Rural Health and Environmental Sustainability

Tourism development can promote the local economy, enhance the living conditions and quality of life of local residents, and improve existing facilities and infrastructure to increase tourists’ willingness to visit and spend money there [ 23 , 38 , 40 ]. A good experience of the effectiveness of decision-making and development will help residents to actively cooperate and generate the will to continuously promote participation in tourism decision-making [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ], and a good tourism consumption experience will also increase tourists’ willingness to participate in tourism [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ]. The perceptions of decision effectiveness [ 54 , 55 ] and the current status of rural tourism development may also vary among different rights holders, genders, and ages [ 38 , 54 , 56 , 57 ].

Based on the above arguments, it is concluded that since villages can promote local economy through tourism development, improve community environment and facilities, enhance tourism conditions, and improve the quality of services and facilities, it will have a certain influence on the current situation of residents’ quality of life and tourists’ willingness to travel. Therefore, the researcher believes that there is a correlation between tourism impact perception and the desire to revisit or purchase a property.

2. Research Methods

2.1. research process and framework.

This study was designed to Beigang Wude Temple as a case and investigates the effect of Taiwan’s religious and cultural tourism for the development of rural tourism. Firstly, we collected relevant literature and conducted a questionnaire survey targeting local residents and tourists in Beigang from December 2020 to January 2021. A total of 800 questionnaires were distributed, and 600 valid questionnaires were retrieved, with a return rate of about 75%. The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software, and then descriptive analysis was conducted. Based on the analysis results, the field survey method was used to collect field information, and the interview method was used to collect the opinions of experts, seniors, and travelers, and the research paper was constructed by the sequence of summarization, organization, and analysis [ 20 ]. Finally, the multivariate verification analysis method was used to integrate the information of different research subjects, research theories, and methods, and to obtain accurate knowledge and meanings by comparing the research results from multiple perspectives and multiple data [ 20 , 58 , 59 ].

According to the above-mentioned literature [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ], the study investigated the economic, social, and environmental-related aspects and issues from the perception perspectives of different backgrounds, and the specific research framework is shown in Figure 1 .

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Study framework.

According to the above framework, the research hypothesis is:

The development of religious and cultural tourism has no significant impact on the current economic development of the village.

There is no significant impact of religious and cultural tourism development on the social development of villages.

There is no significant impact of religious and cultural tourism development on village environment development.

There was no significant correlation between the impact of economic development and the willingness to revisit.

There was no significant correlation between the impact of social development and the willingness to revisit.

There was no significant correlation between environmental development impacts and the desire to revisit.

2.2. Research Tools

With reference to the literature on tourism impact [ 16 , 21 , 55 , 56 , 57 ], the economic, social, and environmental dimensions were categorized, and the subcomponents of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions were differentiated. The cognitive scale was designed using a five-point Likert scale, with a score of 5 for strongly agree, 4 for agree, 3 for generally agree, 2 for disagree, and 1 for strongly disagree, with the higher the score, the higher the cognitive level, and vice versa.

Reliability analysis can examine whether the measurement tool is reliable and stable. The α reliability coefficient method was used in this survey questionnaire, and SPSS 22.0 software was used to analyze the reliability of the questionnaire. Meanwhile, the coefficient value of Cronbach’s α is between 0 and 1, and the larger the α value, the better the correlation and the higher the reliability [ 60 ]. In general, an α value below 0.6 indicates that the internal consistency of the questionnaire is poor, an α value between 0.6 and 0.8 indicates that it is good, and if it is greater than 0.8, it indicates that the internal consistency of the questionnaire is very good [ 61 ]. The analysis showed that the Cronbach’s α coefficient was greater than 0.8 for economic, social, and environmental dimensions, so the reliability of the study questionnaire was higher for the economic dimension, as shown in Table 1 .

Classification table of tourism impact dimensions.

2.3. Research and Analysis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of religious culture on the development of village tourism in Beigang Wude Temple. Quantitative research can get the opinions of most people, but cannot get detailed questions [ 62 , 63 ]. Although qualitative research can only represent the suggestions of a small number of people, with the answers provided by representative people, deeper and subtle insights can be obtained [ 64 ]. Mixed research methods can make up for shortcomings [ 65 ]. In order to obtain the most factual suggestions for improvement, the study first asked five industry members, scholars, and citizens who are familiar with the local development process and have relevant professional backgrounds and created an outline of the interviews by referring to the issues on which at least three people had a consensus. Based on the results of the questionnaire analysis, we then applied focused interviews to seek the opinions of professionals, scholars, and citizens who are familiar with the local development process and have relevant professional backgrounds, to obtain more factual truths and construct the best recommendations as shown in Table 2 .

Background information of the interviewees and outline of the interview.

Lastly, field surveys and interviews were conducted to collect actual information, and after summarizing, organizing, and analyzing all the data, a multivariate review was conducted.

The survey started in 2020, and the initial visitors were distributed all over the country. Due to limitations in manpower, material resources, and funding, field surveys were conducted first to observe the current status of village development and residents’ opinions. In addition, factors such as local farming, young people working outside the village, and the fact that the COVID-19 epidemic was not yet under control limited the initial collection of samples. Although the information was subsequently collected through a combination of online questionnaire platforms, the information collected by the researcher was flawed due to differences in respondents’ cooperation and proficiency in using 3C products. The limitations of the study will be presented in this paper, and we encourage subsequent researchers to correct them to improve on the study.

3. Results and Analysis

3.1. background analysis.

The analysis revealed that there was not much difference in the status of the respondents (45.5% of residents and 54.5% of tourists), but most of them were women (40.9%), aged between 21 and 50 (74.2%), mainly residents of central (48.5%) and southern (42.4%) areas, and mostly used their own cars for transportation (89.4%). Most of the spending amount was less than 35.71 USD (75.8%), mainly for prayers, donations, joss paper, and incense (72.8%), as shown in Table 3 .

Background disguised analysis table.

3.2. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on Village Development

Culture is an indispensable trace of human civilization, and faith is a source of inspiration for most people. Religious and cultural concepts of the immutability and equality of all beings have been the means of transmitting the correct social values and fostering environmental and cultural awareness in our country from ancient times to the present [ 57 ]. Therefore, based on the premise of environmental awareness, exploring people’s views on promoting cultural tourism and maintaining the overall environment of rural communities [ 34 , 66 , 67 ] can be a sound proposal for sustainable rural development. However, development has positive and negative impacts on the economic, social, and environmental levels [ 12 , 16 ], and different backgrounds may lead to different perspectives, and acquiring different perspectives is beneficial for obtaining the best suggestions for improvement [ 16 , 23 , 55 , 56 , 57 ].

The questionnaire was designed based on the literature, and a Likert scale was used, with 1 meaning strongly disagree and 5 meaning strongly agree. The basic statistical tests were used to explore people’s perceptions of the current status of village development, and then the t-test and ANOVA tests were used to explore the perception differences among different status, gender, and age, and then the interview information was compared and explored in a multivariate verification method [ 20 , 58 ].

3.2.1. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on the Village Economy

It was found that most people believed that the development of cultural tourism in Wude Temple has combined with local specialty industries (4.24), increased entrepreneurship and employment opportunities (3.95), and indirectly improved the standard of medical and health care (4.09). However, the effectiveness of the existing tourism development in giving back to the community (3.53) was not perceived, and the quality of public facilities (4.11) and public transportation (3.18) remained poor, which is not entirely consistent with the literature [ 14 , 21 , 53 , 54 , 55 ]. In addition, there was a significant difference in the perception of the current status of public facilities maintenance in communities with feedback from tourism development ( p < 0.01), and residents felt worse about the effectiveness of public facilities maintenance; the older they were, the worse they felt, as shown in Table 4 . Based on the above description, Hypothesis 1 was not confirmed.

Analysis of the awareness of the impact of religious and cultural tourism on the village economy.

* p < 0.01.

Although environmental education has been included in the basic curriculum of Taiwan national education for many years, and students have been cultivating a sense of environmental conservation for many years, coupled with the Chinese culture’s promotion of the concept of benevolence and love, and the religion’s promotion of the awareness of equality of all beings, Taiwanese people are well aware of ecological and environmental conservation. However, the overall economic development of rural areas is insufficient, and all industries are still waiting to be developed. Although the people have the awareness of ecological and environmental conservation, they still hope to continue to develop rural cultural tourism activities by combining local religious customs (4.24), ecological environment, and agricultural products, so as to attract believers and tourists to visit the villages and create a large number of business opportunities, and to improve employment and entrepreneurship opportunities (3.95), medical and health care, as well as to improve the quality of life (4.09). However, since most of the existing public temple cultural institutions in Taiwan are private organizations with self-funded operations, and in order to avoid suspicion, officials seldom take the initiative to communicate with each other on development planning issues, and the degree of cooperation is low, as a result, the feedback received by villages is not effective (3.53), and the quality of public facilities (4.11) and public transportation remains poor (3.18). As a result, most people feel strongly about changes in the integration of special industries, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities, and the standard of medical and health care, but feel poorly about the effectiveness of the development of feedback villages, public transportation, and public facilities.

While the public has a wealth of environmental awareness and experience, policies need to be discussed, decisions need to be driven by human and resources, and results need to be proven over time so visitors who stay for a short period will not be able to accurately judge the difference between before and after changes. Moreover, as tourism development extends over time, the magnitude of change increases and only those who have lived here for a long time will be able to feel it deeply. Therefore, residents believe that the development of tourism does not give back to the community (residents < tourists; 3.77:4.39) and maintain public facilities (residents < tourists; 3.60:4.25), and the older they are, the worse they feel (20 under > 21–30 > 31–40 > over 51 > 41–50). Based on the above description, the analysis results obtained cannot be in line with the Institute of Research Hypothesis 1.

3.2.2. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on Village Society

It was found that most people thought that the development of cultural tourism in Wude Temple was helpful in enhancing the visibility of local tourism (4.47), friendly interaction between residents and tourists (3.91), and preservation of unique village humanistic architecture or landscape totems (4.17). However, the result is not entirely consistent with the literature [ 16 , 23 , 55 , 56 , 57 ], as police, firefighters, and security personnel (3.47), as well as tourism indicators (4.05), are not well planned, and architectural features (3.3) are gradually disappearing. The results are in line with the literature [ 16 , 55 , 56 , 57 ]. The issue of open space is significantly divided by gender ( p < 0.01), and men believe that parking and open space facilities need to be improved, while people aged 31–40 are more sensitive to the issues of social participation and development of tourism organizations, as shown in Table 5 . Based on the above description, Hypothesis 2 was not confirmed.

Analysis of the awareness of the impact of religious and cultural tourism on village society.

Most of the villages are remote areas where crowds do not easily gather. Promoting tourism development with religious, agricultural, and cultural specialties can effectively enhance local visibility (4.47). While residents expect to improve their quality of life and achieve long-term development, they do not want to lose their existing living habits (3.91), cultural cus-toms and features, and tourists do not want to lose their original village style and tourism features (4.17). However, due to the aging population, the outflow of young people (3.47), the small size of the village, and the limited space available for consumption (4.05), a large number of modern entertainment and consumption facilities have been built to meet the needs of tourists, forcing the demolition of existing buildings (3.3). Therefore, most people think that the visibility, preservation of unique village architecture or landscape totems, and interaction between residents and tourists are effective, while tourism indicators and police, firefighters, and security personnel are insufficient, and architectural features are gradually disappearing.

Since most people in Taiwan are highly educated and nurtured by sound professional knowledge and environmental teaching, they possess basic knowledge and have a high degree of environmental awareness and sensitivity. Most of the believers and cultural tourism tourists are family tourists, and there is little unused space in the rural areas. Excluding the living space of the existing residents, the shopping areas and stalls occupy the area, and the parking spaces for tourists are chaotic, resulting in tourists who are mainly male (father or elder brother) drivers often face the difficulty of finding a parking place (female > male; 3.56:3.97). Therefore, male citizens are more sensitive to the issue of parking and leisure facilities, while citizens aged 31–40 are more sensitive to the issue of social participation and the development of tourism organizations (31–40 > 20 under > over 51 > 21–30 > 41–50). Based on the above description, the analysis results obtained cannot be in line with the Institute of Research Hypothesis 2.

3.2.3. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on the Village Environment

It was found that most people thought that the cultural tourism development of Wude Temple helped preserve the historical scenery and relics (4.00) and that the temple authorities provided sufficient space for public toilets (4.00). However, the planning of transportation outside the temple (3.06) was inconvenient, and the public trash cans were not clearly set up and insufficient (3.39), which is not exactly the same as in the literature [ 16 , 23 , 55 , 56 , 57 ]. Although respondents of different status and gender had the same opinion, the older they were, the worse they felt about the planning of public toilets and the effectiveness of historical scenery and maintenance of monuments, as shown in Table 6 . Based on the above description, Hypothesis 3 was not confirmed.

Analysis of the awareness of the impact of religious and cultural tourism on the village environment.

Although the ecological environment, history, customs, and ancient architecture are important tourism resources, the unique local religious culture is also a unique rural tour-ism feature. However, rural villages are scattered and have little space for tourism development, and the number is small and dense so maintaining resources (4.00) and providing a good public environment and sanitary space (4.00) is the key to improving the quality of tourism and services as well as sustainable development. However, because the main tourist activity space is far away from the road outside, the residential houses and the surrounding stores are crowded (3.06), the activity area is narrow and the available space for planning is limited (3.39). Therefore, most people think that the historical scenery and historical sites are well maintained, and the public toilets are well planned, but the public garbage cans are not well set up and insufficient in number, and the transportation is inconvenient.

Nevertheless, due to the limited building space available in the village temples, the lack of public space around them, the intermingling of residential and tourist areas, the aging population, the proliferation of elderly tourists, the outflow of young people, and the loss of labor force, it is impossible to provide adequate and complete public toilet facilities to satisfy the elderly worshippers (tourists). Moreover, the longer historical scenery and relics exist, the more precious they become, but the more easily they are damaged. Changes in scenery or resources can be experienced and felt by people who have lived there for a long time in a different time and context (20 under > 21–30 > 31–40 > 41–50 > over 51). Therefore, the older people are, the more deeply they feel that public restrooms are inadequate and that historical landscapes and monuments are not well maintained. Based on the above description, the analysis results obtained cannot be in line with the Institute of Research Hypothesis 3.

3.3. Correlation Analysis of Village Development Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism or Property Purchase Intention

Ultimately, tourism development aims to promote village development, improve existing facilities and infrastructure, meet the needs of tourists, and promote sustainable visitation and tourism consumption [ 23 , 38 , 40 , 55 ], which are sustainable development goals. Therefore, it is important to investigate the impact of village development on perceptions and willingness to revisit or purchase property to understand the key factors of people’s willingness to revisit or purchase properties. Therefore, the Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between the impact on cognition and the willingness to revisit or purchase properties.

3.3.1. Correlation between Economic Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism Willingness

It was found that there was a significant relationship between industrial development, private property prices, community development and the willingness to revisit or purchase properties ( p < 0.001), and the effectiveness of industrial development (0.686), community development (0.618), and private property prices (0.588) influenced the willingness to recommend friends and relatives to travel and experience, and the results were not identical in the literature [ 23 , 38 , 40 , 55 ], as shown in Table 7 . Based on the above description, Hypothesis 4 was no confirmed.

Correlation analysis of the economic impact and re-tourism intention.

** p < 0.001.

Although tourism development is currently advocated to be environmentally friendly and to move toward sustainable tourism development, for villages with religious culture and agricultural industry as development resources, having adequate industrial development, sound community development, and stable prices for people’s livelihoods are still the main keys to attracting people. Based on the above description, the analysis results obtained cannot be in line with the Institute of Research Hypothesis 4.

3.3.2. Correlation between Society Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism Willingness

It was found that there was a significant correlation ( p < 0.001) between community building, the culture of life, cultural security and the willingness to revisit or purchase property, and the effectiveness of community building (0.686), cultural security (0.618), and culture of life (0.588) affected the willingness to recommend friends and relatives to travel and experience, and the results were not identical in the literature [ 19 , 34 , 36 , 51 ], as shown in Table 8 . Based on the above description, Hypothesis 5 was no confirmed.

Correlation analysis of society impact and re-tourism intention.

Since villages have limited space for tourism development, organizing volunteers or bringing in manpower to maintain culture and law and order, deeply cultivating local human customs and cultural characteristics, using existing space for community building, as well as proper planning of tourism highlights, will be the basis for people to recommend their friends and relatives to visit the villages. Based on the above description, resulting in the analysis results obtained cannot be in line with the Institute of Research Hypothesis 5.

3.3.3. Correlation between Environment Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism Willingness

A significant correlation ( p < 0.001) was found between village environment, public health, and the willingness to revisit or purchase properties, and the effectiveness of public health (0.752) and village environment (0.317) influenced people’s attractiveness and willingness to re-engage in local activities and the results were not identical in the literature [ 23 , 38 , 40 , 55 ], as shown in Table 9 . Based on the above description, Hypothesis 6 was no confirmed.

Correlation analysis of the environmental impact and re-tourism intention.

* p < 0.01. ** p < 0.001.

The environment and sanitary conditions of tourism are the main factors for people to consider in their travel activities, especially in the current poor travel environment surrounded by viruses, a safe and sanitary travel environment is a key consideration. Therefore, maintaining a clean and safe public sanitary space in the village environment is a key factor to attract tourists to visit again and recommend their friends and relatives to visit with them. Based on the above description, the analysis results obtained cannot be in line with the Institute of Research Hypothesis 6.

4. Conclusions

Survey results show that although cultural tourism helps villages to improve their reputation, preserve historical sites, increase the integration of special industries, promote interaction among people, increase entrepreneurship and employment opportunities, and improve the standard of public toilets and medical sanitation, problems such as the lack of tourism feedback, inadequate village development, low number of public garbage cans, unclear settings, inconvenient transportation, insufficient public facilities, tourism indicators, and police and fire safety personnel, and the disappearance of local architecture have yet to be solved.

It was concluded that creating parking spaces, providing a comfortable resting place for tourists, creating an open exchange of ideas, and raising public awareness and consciousness of the environment would increase the importance of public issues such as village visibility, citizen interaction, ancient architecture, culture and totems, public health and transportation, and entrepreneurial development in the village, as well as address the concerns of local residents and some men and people over the age of 31–40. It will also improve community building and security, enrich cultural resources, provide adequate industrial infrastructure and development, stabilize prices, and achieve a safe and sanitary public environment, thus increasing the desire of people to revisit and making the village a recommended destination for family travel, and achieving the goal of sustainable development of rural environment and health.

Based on the above results, the following suggestions are made:

4.1. Local Government

Development does not only depend on local rural characteristics and tourism resources but also requires administrative and financial support from government agencies in order to have proper development space and community planning.

If the local government can entrust experts and scholars to conduct field Tacha, reforming surrounding tourist moving lines, link temples and cultural organizations, to collect the views of residents, aid to promote the depth of cultural tourism.

4.2. Local Authorities

Development does not rely solely on government resources and enthusiastic public input, but also on talents with professional knowledge and skills, in order to continuously explore local characteristics, create uninterrupted tourism appeal, and achieve sustainable development goals.

If local governments or tourism development organizations can refer to the suggestions of local cultural organizations and professionals, conserve local cultural assets, and use resources to develop tourism activities or products, they can create tourism highlights.

4.3. Policy Makers

Visionary leaders are critical but gathering more information and recruiting more expertise can lead to innovative, sound, and trend-aligned decisions.

If government agencies can invite existing villagers, organize community volunteer organizations, set up entrepreneurial technology courses, encourage residents to participate, and combine local high school courses and manpower, it can solve the problem of insufficient development manpower.

4.4. Suggestions for Future Research

Since the study mainly takes Beigang Wude Temple as a case study, it explores the influence of Taiwan’s religious and cultural tourism on the development of rural tourism, and the different cultural customs and characteristics of different regions may also cause different village development impacts.

Therefore, the researchers believe that it is recommended that future researchers continue to explore religious and cultural tourism or related issues based on differences in different countries, regions, different rights, and ages, and understand the understanding and differences of peers on this topic in order to improve related research flaws.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, H.-H.L. and Z.-F.L.; methodology, H.-H.L.; software, Y.L.; validation, J.-C.L., Y.L.; formal analysis, H.-H.L.; investigation, J.-C.L.; resources, Z.-F.L.; data curation, Y.L.; writing—original draft preparation, H.-H.L. and Z.-F.L.; writing—review and editing, H.-H.L.; visualization, H.-H.L.; supervision, H.-H.L.; project administration, Z.-F.L.; funding acquisition, J.-C.L., Y.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

All subjects in the study were anonymously labeled and agreed to participate in the survey.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

Conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Religious Tourism Around the World

What is Religious Tourism?

Popularity of religious tourism.

Gratitude and Confession: When people face a crisis in life, they tend to turn to the divine to get help. If they tide over their crises, they visit the shrine to thank the deity, god, or goddess for their divine intervention. Others may resort to religious tourism as a way to absolve themselves of their sins. They may believe that their problems are due to their sins and will visit a sacred site based on their belief to communicate with the divine and ask for forgiveness.
Spiritual Salvation: In many societies, going on a pilgrimage is seen as a mark of piety. This belief is especially true among Hindus, who visit religious sites to accumulate religious merits while Buddhist go to a sacred place as it is considered the first step in attaining enlightenment. Many seniors embark on religious tourism when they want to make peace with themselves before their leave behind their mortal remains.
Celebrate Religious Events: When people have the financial means, they visit a religious site to celebrate specific religious events. These events are mentioned in sacred tenets and during religious festivities, they are reenacted as a way to commemorate them.
Communicate with Other Believers: Religious visits also give people a chance to meet and socialize with fellow believers. It helps the person reaffirm their religious beliefs in a modern environment.

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Final Words

Category: Travel Industry

Top 10 Pilgrimage and Religious Destinations of India

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Where are all the pilgrims? The current state of religious tourism in the Holy Land

By Marinella Bandini

Jerusalem, Jun 4, 2024 / 07:00 am

During the month of May in Jerusalem, the major holidays of the three major religions — Christian Easter, Jewish Passover, and the month of Ramadan — passed with an almost total absence of pilgrims from abroad.

The holy sites and the streets of the Old City are usually crowded with tourists and pilgrims at this time of year, but they have been empty for the past eight months due to the Israel-Hamas war.

Muslims orderly make their way to the entrances of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound for noon prayer, but otherwise, the Via Dolorosa is completely empty. There are no pilgrims ascending to the Holy Sepulcher. The Sanctuary of the Flagellation, maintained by the Franciscans at the starting point of the Via Crucis path, is always open — but that is empty, too.

Things aren’t any better at Gethsemane.

“Before the war, we had more than a hundred groups a day. Today, we welcome two or three groups on a good day,” Brother Siniša Srebrenović, the guardian of the Franciscan Convent of the Agony (Gethsemane), told CNA. “They mostly come from Asia or South America. Some come from Eastern Europe, mainly Orthodox Christians.”

The absence of pilgrims also means the absence of income.

“We friars sustain ourselves with the offerings of the pilgrims. The charity of the pilgrims also helps cover the maintenance expenses of the sanctuary and some development projects,” Srebrenović explained. “Today, everything is at a standstill. Workers from the Palestinian Territories do not have permission to come, and the financial resources are only enough for the ordinary. Despite this, the custody continues to financially support its workers and has not laid off any of them.”

At the Holy Sepulcher, the waiting time to enter the edicule (where Jesus’ tomb is kept) is just a few minutes, compared with up to two hours last year. The daily procession of the Franciscan friars inside the basilica is attended by only a handful of faithful — mostly residents of Jerusalem.

The Via Dolorosa, at the location of the Church of the Flagellation, is completely deserted in the afternoon of Friday, May 24, 2024. Usually, Friday is the day when many Christian pilgrims walk the Via Dolorosa in the footsteps of Jesus to the Holy Sepulcher. Credit: Marinella Bandini

Even Bethlehem is empty

“Tourism in Palestine is effectively zeroed out. Every day we lose $2.5 million,” lamented Majed Ishaq, director general of the marketing department of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Palestine.

He described to CNA a dramatic situation: “Tourist facilities are closed; people working in the sector — including many Christians — have had no income for months. People are trying to sell houses, cars, furniture, to survive.”

“International tourism passes through Israel; they control our borders. We are under a kind of siege,” Ishaq continued. “Reaching Bethlehem is still possible, but cities in the north, like Nablus or Jenin, and also Hebron further south, are almost unreachable. Even local tourism and internal travel are severely affected due to attacks by settlers.”

Some groups arrive, especially via Jordan. The hope is that something will move at least by the end of the year, especially for the Christmas holidays.

According to data from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, just over 80,000 people (tourists and pilgrims combined) entered the country in April — a decrease of 77% compared with April 2023 and 80% compared with April 2019, the peak year before the pandemic.

Cumulatively, from January through April, about 285,000 tourist arrivals were recorded, a decrease of about 78% in relation to the corresponding period in 2023.

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“The decline is attributed to the impact of the ‘Iron Swords’ war [the name Israel has given to the campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the events of Oct. 7, 2023] although in the months that have passed since the outbreak of the war, there has been a certain increase in the number of tourist arrivals to Israel, but it is not yet possible to identify any trend.”

A small group of Orthodox Christians from Romania inside the Basilica of Gethsemane kiss the stone on which, according to tradition, Jesus sweated blood during the night of Holy Thursday. May 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini

Dr. Yaron Ergas, director of research, statistics, and information management at the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, told CNA that “the Ministry of Tourism conducts a survey among incoming tourists, where they are asked several questions including the main purpose of their visit. Tourists choosing ‘pilgrimage/faith based tour’ are considered religious tourists. That percentage, in 2019, was 16.6%” out of about 5 million entries.

At the outbreak of the war, in October 2023, “we stopped the surveys,” Ergas explained, so there is no useful data on religious tourism since then.

“Recovery is not expected until late 2025,” he added.

Other statistics, focused on Christian pilgrims, were provided to CNA by the Christian Information Centre (CIC), sponsored by the Custody of the Holy Land. CIC has been providing information about Christianity and on the Holy Land, including shrines, holy places, and liturgies, for more than 50 years. Additionally, it is the only official channel for booking Masses in the holy sites.

From October to December 2023, approximately 2,800 groups (107,000 individuals) had booked at least one celebration through the CIC, and they all canceled as soon as the war broke out. Of these, 95% were Catholics and 4% were Protestants. Ninety percent were groups from abroad. From January to April of this year, the groups registered by the CIC ranged from 100 to 200 per month (averaging 5,000 to 6,000 individuals per month).

(Story continues below)

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The lack of Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land is especially due to the fact that many companies are unwilling to issue insurance policies for those heading to a territory considered dangerous and risky.

A group of Christian pilgrims from the Philippines at the Gethsemane sanctuary. In these months of war, arrivals from Southeast Asia and South America continue. This is largely due — as the pilgrims themselves recount — to the fact that agencies do not refund prepaid trips, which many have invested their life savings in. This compels people to travel despite everything. Credit: Marinella Bandini

Arrivals from Southeast Asia and South America continue, however (while the United States remains the top country for entries, the second group surprisingly comprises Indonesians). This is largely due — as the pilgrims themselves admit — to the fact that agencies do not refund prepaid trips, which many have invested their life savings in. This compels people to travel despite everything.

“We want to encourage Jews and Christians leaders to push their believers to come on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. We assume, and I think it is correct, that there’s a desire to come and visit,” Pini Shani, deputy director general and head of marketing administration of the Israel Ministry of Tourism, shared with CNA.

Hopes for the 2025 Jubilee

In 2025 there will be two interesting events for religious tourism in the Holy Land.

“A special exhibition of the Isahia scrolls will be held in 2025 at the Israel Museum to commemorate its 60th anniversary. We are confident that many people will show interest. We will try to engage people who come on pilgrimage to the Holy Land to visit this special exhibition,” Shani said.

Furthermore, in 2025, Catholics will celebrate a jubilee year.

“We were very encouraged by the pope’s call for the jubilee,” Shani said. “The churches of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, the Annunciation in Nazareth, and the Nativity in Bethlehem will be jubilee places; people will be encouraged to visit them, and we’re sure it will help to recover tourism.”

Some pilgrims pray at the eighth station of the Via Crucis. The holy sites and the streets of the Old City, usually crowded with tourists and pilgrims at this time of year, have been empty for the past eight months due to the war. “We want to encourage Jews and Christians leaders to push their believers to come on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land,” Pini Shani, deputy director general and head of marketing administration of the Israel Ministry of Tourism, told CNA. May 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini

The main Christian religious leaders in the Holy Land have never stopped issuing appeals to pilgrims to return to the holy places. “Do not be afraid, return to Jerusalem and to the Holy Land! Your presence is always a presence of peace, and we sincerely need peace today; may you come and bring us your peace,” said the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, at the end of the Palm Sunday procession.

An echo of those words is found in the message released by the Dicastery for Evangelization on May 28, on the occasion of the 45th World Tourism Day, to be held on Sept. 27 on the theme “Tourism and Peace.”

“The interest that moves millions of tourists can easily be linked with the commitment to brotherhood, so as to constitute a network of ‘messengers of peace’ who speak to the entire world to invoke the end of all war and the reopening of territories full of history, culture, and faith. ... Being peace-builders is not only possible; it is required of those who embark on a journey,” the dicastery’s message said.

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Where are all the pilgrims? The current state of religious tourism in the Holy Land

The holy sites and the streets of the Old City are usually crowded with tourists and pilgrims at this time of year, but they have been empty for the past eight months due to the Israel-Hamas war.

The "Sacred Garden," the oldest part of the Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed on the night of Holy Thursday, May 24, 2024. (Marinella Bandini via CNA)

Things aren’t any better at Gethsemane.

The absence of pilgrims also means the absence of income.

The Via Dolorosa, at the location of the Church of the Flagellation, is completely deserted in the afternoon of Friday, May 24, 2024. Usually, Friday is the day when many Christian pilgrims walk the Via Dolorosa in the footsteps of Jesus to the Holy Sepulcher. (Marinella Bandini via CNA)

Even Bethlehem is empty

Some groups arrive, especially via Jordan. The hope is that something will move at least by the end of the year, especially for the Christmas holidays.

Cumulatively, from January through April, about 285,000 tourist arrivals were recorded, a decrease of about 78% in relation to the corresponding period in 2023.

A small group of Orthodox Christians from Romania inside the Basilica of Gethsemane kiss the stone on which, according to tradition, Jesus sweated blood during the night of Holy Thursday, May 24, 2024. (Marinella Bandini via CNA)

At the outbreak of the war, in October 2023, “we stopped the surveys,” Ergas explained, so there is no useful data on religious tourism since then.

“Recovery is not expected until late 2025,” he added.

A group of Christian pilgrims from the Philippines at the Gethsemane sanctuary. In these months of war, arrivals from Southeast Asia and South America continue. (Marinella Bandini via CNA)

Hopes for the 2025 Jubilee

In 2025 there will be two interesting events for religious tourism in the Holy Land.

Furthermore, in 2025, Catholics will celebrate a jubilee year.

Some pilgrims pray at the eighth station of the Via Crucis. The holy sites and the streets of the Old City, usually crowded with tourists and pilgrims at this time of year, have been empty for the past eight months due to the war. (Marinella Bandini via CNA)

Article Tags

Holy Land , Israel-Gaza Conflict , Pilgrims , Tourism

Marinella Bandini

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Where are all the pilgrims? The current state of religious tourism in the Holy Land

June 4, 2024 Catholic News Agency News Briefs 3 Print

Jerusalem, Jun 4, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The holy sites and the streets of the Old City are usually crowded with tourists and pilgrims at this time of year, but they have been empty for the past eight months due to the Israel-Hamas war.

The "Sacred Garden," the oldest part of the Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed on the night of Holy Thursday. “Before the war, we had more than a hundred groups a day. Today, we welcome two or three groups on a good day,” said Brother Siniša Srebrenović, the guardian of the Franciscan Convent of the Agony (Gethsemane), to CNA. May 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini

Things aren’t any better at Gethsemane.

The absence of pilgrims also means the absence of income.

Even Bethlehem is empty

Some groups arrive, especially via Jordan. The hope is that something will move at least by the end of the year, especially for the Christmas holidays.

Cumulatively, from January through April, about 285,000 tourist arrivals were recorded, a decrease of about 78% in relation to the corresponding period in 2023.

At the outbreak of the war, in October 2023, “we stopped the surveys,” Ergas explained, so there is no useful data on religious tourism since then.

“Recovery is not expected until late 2025,” he added.

Hopes for the 2025 Jubilee

In 2025 there will be two interesting events for religious tourism in the Holy Land.

Furthermore, in 2025, Catholics will celebrate a jubilee year.

“The interest that moves millions of tourists can easily be linked with the commitment to brotherhood, so as to constitute a network of ‘messengers of peace’ who speak to the entire world to invoke the end of all war and the reopening of territories full of history, culture, and faith. … Being peace-builders is not only possible; it is required of those who embark on a journey,” the dicastery’s message said.

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I believe the October 2023 attack on Israel by the Hamas terrorists is the main reason that created a pall that deterred tourists. Today, there is turmoil throughout the region. Moreover, with the blitzkrieg attack, killing 34 thousand Palestinians, nearly half are women and children. Israel has been labelled with genocide on the innocent Palestinians in Gaza. Netanyahu continues his unabated assault using American made 2,000 lb fire bombs designed to spread death over a large area. The cleric are Noticeably absent.

The faithful tourists must feel abandonned being ubable to safely visit the Holy Land.

Tourists are scarce in Israel but there are still some arriving. One of my children was there just recently. They said the security was a little higher but everything was mostly going on as usual. Some tour guides have shifted to posting YouTube video tours of the Holy Land sites.

Greetings, blessings and heartfelt prayers from Ireland! Thinking of all the people in The Holy Land! I’ve long wanted to return especially since my conversion to The Catholic Church! Is there anyone in Ireland with a desire to travel there with me? My email address is [email protected] Be assured of my continuing prayers and warmest good wishes for everybody. Thank you and God bless you all! Mary Wrenne, Cork, Ireland 🇮🇪 🙏 ❤️

Sindh Proposes Religious Corridor for Hindu and Jain Pilgrims

Pakistan's sindh tourism minister zulfiqar ali shah has suggested establishing a religious corridor similar to kartarpur to facilitate hindu and jain pilgrims visiting historical religious sites in sindh province. this initiative, still under discussion, could significantly boost religious tourism between india and pakistan..

Sindh's Tourism Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah has put forth a significant proposal to open a religious corridor in the Sindh province, bordering India, to facilitate Hindu and Jain pilgrims visiting their historical religious sites in Pakistan.

Addressing an event in Dubai focused on promoting tourism in Sindh, Shah mentioned the potential for constructing the corridor in Umarkot and Nagarparkar. Umarkot is renowned for Shri Shiv Mandir, one of the oldest Hindu temples in Sindh, believed to be over 2,000 years old. Nagarparkar also hosts several abandoned Jain temples and has a substantial Hindu population.

While this remains under discussion with his department officials, Shah emphasized the corridor's potential to increase religious tourism and proposed a weekly flight from India to Sukkur or Larkana. This move follows the existing Kartarpur Corridor, used by Sikh pilgrims to visit the sacred Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur.

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New Religious Corridor on Pakistan-India Border in Sindh Proposed

Sindh Tourism Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah announced on Thursday that a religious corridor similar to Kartarpur could be established on the Pakistan-India border within the province.

This initiative will facilitate devotees of the Hindu and Jain faiths. Speaking at a tourism promotion event in Dubai, Sindh Tourism Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah proposed establishing a religious corridor in Umarkot and Nagarparkar.

He stated that Nagarparkar is home to several historical Jain temples. He informed attendees that numerous Hindus and Jains were eager to visit Sindh.

Shah proposed that the Sindh government could start a weekly flight from India to Sukkur or Larkana for religious tourists. He highlighted that Umarkot is home to Shri Shiv Mandir, one of the oldest Hindu temples in Sindh.

Some believe Shri Shiv Mandir was constructed over 2,000 years ago, but a local Hindu community leader claimed in an interview with an international news agency that it is as old as 5,000 years. Meanwhile, numerous abandoned Jain temples can be found in Nagarparkar.

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COMMENTS

Religious tourism
Religious tourism, spiritual tourism, sacred tourism, or faith tourism, is a type of tourism with two main subtypes: pilgrimage, meaning travel for religious or spiritual purposes, and the viewing of religious monuments and artefacts, a branch of sightseeing. Types. ...
Religious tourism- what is it and how does it work?
What is religious tourism? Religious tourism is a branch of tourism which involves people travelling for religious purposes (like a pilgrimage) or to see things of religious importance (sightseeing). It is also known as faith tourism. It also incorporates missionaries. Religious tourism isn't just for religious people, of course.
The evolution of religious tourism: Concept, segmentation and
Religious tourism is one of the oldest forms of tourism (Rinschede, 1992), and represents a significant, evolving, growing, and increasingly diverse sector of the global tourism market (Sharpley, 2009). Common examples of religious travel and tourism include pilgrimages, retreats, conferences, seminars, and festivals (Stausberg, 2011).
Religious tourism studies: evolution, progress, and future prospects
Abstract. This review study examines evolving themes in the scholarly literature on religious tourism and. identifies research gaps that provide a basis for future investigations. The researchers ...
The evolution of religious tourism: Concept, segmentation and
Religious tourism includes 'a range of spiritual sites and associated services, which are visited for both secular and religious reasons' (Raj, Griffin, & Blackwell, 2015, p. 105). But, religious tourism has not been only a call to spirituality, but also it's a major economic driver. Thus, the tourism industry has identified a new niche ...
Religious Tourism: What is it and why is it so important?
Religious tourism has taken place since the dawn of civilisation. Pilgrims travelled to pay homage to the sacred places and their guardians throughout the world. Tourism to sacred sites has merged with pilgrimage in the past 2,000 years. More recently, in the past 200 years wealthy Europeans visited special sites of sacred ritual in both the ...
Religious tourism studies: evolution, progress, and future prospects
Understandings of religious tourism have evolved beyond pilgrimage and now encompass the meaningfulness of a destination. Recent explorations have extended beyond visitor motivations to consider their identities, such as individual religious affiliations and religiosity. The current paper contributes to knowledge by embracing infrastructure and ...
Religious Tourism: Exploring Experiences of Spirituality, Place
Compared to nature-based, cultural, and recreational tourism, religious tourism is a relatively new concept in tourism research and has received less empirical attention (Almuhrzi & Alsawafi, 2017).The term religious tourism refers to a wide range of activities that visitors partake in to improve their own sense of meaning, identity, and purpose (Norman & Pokorny, 2017).
Religion and Tourism
As with all tourism niche markets, there has been a recent fragmentation of the religious tourism market. Questions regarding whether to define the religious tourism market from a supply- or demand-side perspective has led to the development of a pilgrimage or faith tourism market, which focuses on the demand-side of religious tourism and the "believer as tourist" (Terzidou et al. 2018: 123).
Towards a sustainability-oriented religious tourism
1 INTRODUCTION. Religious tourism and pilgrimages should contribute to sustainable growth in terms of delivering a high level of tourist satisfaction, alongside meaningful and unique experiences (Lopez, 2013), and helping preserve natural resources and cultural heritage, as well as the traditional values of communities, thus ensuring long-term economic and social benefits.
The evolution of religious tourism: Concept, segmentation and
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Full article: Religious tourism in Christian sanctuaries: the
Religious tourism is a fairly recent phenomenon in modern history. Instead, pilgrimages to sanctuaries are a centuries-old tradition present almost from the beginning of Christianity. They serve to practice popular piety and to carry out Christian faith formation in the Church. In general, the holy sites have become today the meeting place of ...
Religious tourism and the new evangelization: theory and best practice
2. Framing religious tourism within the new evangelization. The question about the new evangelization may be seen as an examination of the way in which Christian communities today live their faith and bear witness to it in society. 11 In this regard, the Synod of Bishops stated in 2012 that the new evangelization becomes a process of reading and deciphering also 'new sectors which have ...
Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Festivals Management: An International
Religion and spirituality are common motivations for travel, with many major tourist destinations having developed largely as a result of their connections to sacred people, places and events. Describing practical applications, models and case studies, this book provides an insight into the management of religious tourism, covering both ancient ...
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Religious tourism is one of the driving forces to bring people from varied backgrounds together under a common cause: the admiration and protection of heritage of tangible and intangible nature," said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, at the inauguration of the event. The issues of heritage conservation were a major topic of discussion ...
19 Facts About Religious Tourism
Popular Destinations for Religious Tourism. 02. Vatican City, home to the Pope and the spiritual center for Catholics worldwide, attracts millions of visitors each year, making it a top destination for religious tourists. 03. The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the most sacred place in Islam.
PDF Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism in Society, in the Wake of the COVID
2. Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism in Greece: Traditional Practices in the Modern Eara In recent decades, pilgrimage and religious tourism have clearly been on the rise, and have become a rapidly expanding segment within the broader touristic ﬁeld of activities (Sharpley2009). Currently, the term 'religious tourism' is often used in a ...
Tourism can protect and promote religious heritage
Religious tourism boosts economic activity and helps safeguard our rich historic heritage, and will play an essential role in the future of the tourism sector." The Mayor of Elche, Mercedes Alonso García, said: "Tourists are not only seeking to experience nature but also the most deeply rooted creations of the human spirit. In this sense ...
Research on the Development of Religious Tourism and the Sustainable
Furthermore, according to the literature in the National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan, although the current research on religion, culture, and tourism are mostly qualitative in terms of investigating cultural characteristics and assets [18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26], followed by the awareness of religious activities [2,16 ...
What is Religious Tourism?
Category: Travel Industry. When a person travels to a pilgrimage site primarily based on their religious belief, it is known as religious tourism. These travelers perform pilgrimage as a way to worship and enjoy salvation. However, there are Muslim and Jewish travelers who go for pilgrimage because it is obligated by their religion.
Exploring the motivation-based typology of religious tourists: A study
Religious tourism plays an important part in the history of tourism development. People visit religious sites with different motivations. Previous studies have examined different experiences of tourists from pilgrims to secular tourists and this pilgrim-tourist debate is built upon a specifically eurocentric construction of the pilgrim.
(PDF) The Significance of Religious Tourism
In India, religious tourism is the tourism, when the individuals make visits to different. places for religious purposes. India is a secular country, where all the citizens have the right. to ...
Effects of Religious Tourism Policies on Religious Development
This study focused on religious development and explored the impact of cultural and religious tourism policies on local religions. The highlight is the use of econometric models to capture the interrelationship between supply (total number of temples) and demand (total number of followers) on religion.
Where are the pilgrims? Current state of Holy Land religious tourism
In 2025 there will be two interesting events for religious tourism in the Holy Land. Trending "A special exhibition of the Isahia scrolls will be held in 2025 at the Israel Museum to commemorate ...
A Complete Guide to Religious Tourism by Dr Prem- History, Essential
Destinations that offer safe religious tourism for senior citizens. Senior citizens prefer religious tourism, as they believe that spirituality is important during the advanced phase of age and life. Many countries offer religious tourism to people from each corner of the globe. Mecca, Lourdes, Vatican, and Jerusalem are some of the major ...
Where are all the pilgrims? The current state of religious tourism in
Tourists choosing 'pilgrimage/faith based tour' are considered religious tourists. That percentage, in 2019, was 16.6%" out of about 5 million entries. At the outbreak of the war, in October 2023, "we stopped the surveys," Ergas explained, so there is no useful data on religious tourism since then. "Recovery is not expected until ...
Where are all the pilgrims? The current state of religious tourism in
Hopes for the 2025 Jubilee. In 2025 there will be two interesting events for religious tourism in the Holy Land. "A special exhibition of the Isahia scrolls will be held in 2025 at the Israel ...
Sindh Proposes Religious Corridor for Hindu and Jain Pilgrims
Sindh's Tourism Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah has put forth a significant proposal to open a religious corridor in the Sindh province, bordering India, to facilitate Hindu and Jain pilgrims visiting their historical religious sites in Pakistan. Addressing an event in Dubai focused on promoting tourism in Sindh, Shah mentioned the potential for ...
Proposal for a Kartarpur-like Religious Corridor for c in Sindh
Provincial Minister for Sindh for Tourism Zulfiqar Ali Shah, in the Dubai convention- proposed to open a Kartarpur-like corridor for Hindu and Jain religious sites in Sindh. The proposal set forth by the minister is to increase religious tourism in Pakistan. The new corridor focuses on India and Pakistan's border in Sindh. Sindh houses many ...
New Religious Corridor on Pakistan-India Border in Sindh Proposed
By Arsalan Khattak | Published Jun 6, 2024 | 12:29 pm. Sindh Tourism Minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah announced on Thursday that a religious corridor similar to Kartarpur could be established on the ...

Religious tourism- what is it and how does it work?

What is religious tourism?

Religious tourism activities

Religious tourism destinations

Religious Tourism: What is it and why is it so important?

What is religious tourism?

Why is it so important?

Religious tourism in history

Managing sites of religious tourism

Visitors and worshippers

How can religious tourism sites stay competitive?

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Chapter history

19 Facts About Religious Tourism

What is Religious Tourism?

Popular Destinations for Religious Tourism

The Impact of Religious Tourism

Unique Forms of Religious Tourism

The Role of Festivals in Religious Tourism

Challenges Facing Religious Tourism

The Future of Religious Tourism

Religious Tourism and Interfaith Understanding

The Economic Benefits of Religious Tourism

A Final Look at Spiritual Journeys

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Tourism can protect and promote religious heritage

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Research on the Development of Religious Tourism and the Sustainable Development of Rural Environment and Health

Jao-Chuan Lin

Zhou-Fu Liang

Associated Data

1. Introduction

1.1. The Importance of Environmental Literacy to the Development of Cultural Tourism

1.2. Establishment of Environmental Literacy Helps People Develop Cultural Tourism

1.3. Analyze the Importance of the Relationship between Perceptions of Tourism Shocks and Willingness to Re-Tourism to Establish Rural Health and Environmental Sustainability

2. Research Methods

2.2. Research Tools

2.3. Research and Analysis

3. Results and Analysis

3.2. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on Village Development

3.2.1. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on the Village Economy

3.2.2. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on Village Society

3.2.3. Analysis of the Awareness of the Impact of Religious and Cultural Tourism on the Village Environment

3.3. Correlation Analysis of Village Development Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism or Property Purchase Intention

3.3.1. Correlation between Economic Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism Willingness

3.3.2. Correlation between Society Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism Willingness

3.3.3. Correlation between Environment Impact and Perception of Re-Tourism Willingness

4. Conclusions

4.1. Local Government

4.2. Local Authorities

4.3. Policy Makers

4.4. Suggestions for Future Research

Author Contributions

Institutional Review Board Statement

Informed Consent Statement

Data Availability Statement

Religious Tourism Around the World

What is Religious Tourism?

Popular Places for Religious Tourism

Final Words

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Where are all the pilgrims? The current state of religious tourism in the Holy Land

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Hopes for the 2025 Jubilee