“Beyond” Religious Tourism

Fez, the spiritual capital of Morocco, is a popular destination for different kinds of Muslim and non-Muslim tourists: pilgrims, religious tourists and cultural tourists. This chapter, based on primary research, investigates the relationship between tourism and religion, focusing on the Festival of World Sacred Music (launched in 1994) and the Festival of Sufi Culture (established in 2006) and on the project on the restoration of the Sufi mosque Ain Al-Khail. The case of Fez shows how a tourism offer based on Islam can attract people of all faiths and create dialogue among them. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to show that promoting and supporting the inclusive and tolerant Islamic nature of a destination does not imply excluding people of other faiths. Highlighting Islam's natural inclination toward hospitality and travelling, the case of Fez shows how religiosity (and not just religion) can peacefully co-habit with tourism.

Mythical Geographies

This chapter explores the anthropological roots of Lost Paradise, which pivoted the expansion of Western civilization over centuries. tourism has evolved into many forms and practices that escape from water and fire, or the sand, but originally thermals were fertile grounds for the expansion and consolidation of modern tourism. This happens because of two main reasons, civilization whatever its origin symbolizes water as the most important resource for its production and expansion. Secondly, mythologies across cultures and times appeal to an “Eden” where water plays a crucial role as configurator of social order. For that reason, not surprisingly, in making tourism we need from reproaching a mythical contact with water and sun, in the same way our ancestors did. As a rite of passage, tourism enacts the foundational elements of nature that give origin to our civilization, which means water and fire.

The Economics of Religious Tourism (Hajj and Umrah) in Saudi Arabia

Even though great oil wealth has freed Saudi Arabia from economic dependence on Hajj and Umrah revenues, diversification of economic base and sources of income necessitates taking the economic impacts of these revenues into account. Therefore, this chapter aims to discuss the economic impact of religious tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tourism worldwide is a risky business. Nevertheless, religious motives of Muslim pilgrims have never been noticeably vulnerable to any circumstances. Furthermore, religious tourists are the highest spenders compared with other types of tourists in Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah can play an increasingly vital role in economic growth and development. In its broadest generic sense, religious tourism plays a vital role as foreign exchange earner, a creator of job opportunities, and a tool for improving the balance of payments. Its contribution to the economic welfare, if well planned, can be more significant than any other economic force known.

Religious Tourism in South Africa

The growth of tourism in South Africa after the end of apartheid can be associated with the growth of various forms of special interest tourism. Religious tourism as a form of special interest tourism is possibly the most important contributor of tourism geographical dispersion in South Africa. South Africa's religious tourism is dominated by Christian religious pilgrimage. Religious pilgrimages produce positive spin off for many destinations in South Africa, which may not be regarded as traditional tourism destinations. Religious-linked domestic travel continues to dominate domestic tourism expenditure. The existence of several African Initiated Churches such as the Zion Christian Church and the Nazareth Baptist Church attract several million worshippers during their religious pilgrimages, attracting worshippers beyond South Africa. Robben Island, which is a shrine for the anti-apartheid struggle, has a glorious Muslim resistance history, which is yet to be exploited by the Robben Island Museum. This chapter adds to the academic literature on religious tourism.

Catholic Pilgrimage in Europe

The chapter deals with the historic and contemporary Catholic pilgrimages in Europe. Modern religious practices of European pilgrims are presented. Author applies different typologies to classify European pilgrimage sites. Catholic sacred places divided into categories related with Virgin Mary, Jesus and saints. Analysis includes historic background, and contemporary challenges of pilgrimage traditions in relation to the themes of valuistic journeys, globalization, virtualization and development of modern tourism. Author identifies and analyzes the six most important religious practices performed at the pilgrimage places (participation at the Holy Mass and receiving indulgence, praying, processions and the Way of Cross, usage of water, leaving votive amulets, and buying souvenirs and devotionalias). Chapter also presents significance of values and identity in traveling. Valuistic journeys could help to express lifestyle and manifest values of the individuals. The chapter tries to answer the question – what are the challenges of pilgrimage traditions in Europe?

Pilgrimage, Tradition, and Authenticity

This chapter argues that the Chartres pilgrimage is an example of religious travel that provides an ‘authentic' pilgrimage experience, in contrast with commercially packaged tours. This focus on tradition and authenticity is achieved by the gruelling nature of the walk, the use of medieval cathedrals as points of origin and destination, and a connection to Catholic rituals. The chapter examines scholarly literature on pilgrimage and religious tourism to show that the organisers are seeking to promote an experience that is distinct among religious tours. Furthermore, the chapter considers how the pilgrimage is illustrative of religious expression in post-secular times. At a time when the secularization thesis is being questioned, and where religion has become of greater importance for politics and policy formation, how religious identity is expressed, and how religious practitioners maintain their sense of the sacred in ‘a secular age', are important questions. The work of Habermas and Taylor is analysed to see how the pilgrimage reflects religion in post-secular times.

Authenticity and Buddhist Experience

Aim of this paper is the analysis of two Tibetan Buddhist Centers in Italy. The topic was the perception of authenticity by visitors. Our survey is based on 21 in-depth interviews to visitors of two Tibetan Buddhist Centers in Piedmont. What seems to emerge is that this experience is mainly nourished by the so-called “existential-experiential” authenticity, a notion of authenticity that is mainly spent on an individual level, which means searching for that “true self” that society and everyday life tend to inhibit. Although less important, the aspects of authenticity as a social construction and the so-called “objective authenticity” appear to be significant.

Discussing Tourism as a Rite of Passage

This chapter recapitulates the discussion originated by John Tribe respecting to the dispersion of produced knowledge in tourism. We critically give a new fresh paradigm in order for readers to understand what tourism is. This chapter centers on themes I am not accustomed to discuss but are very important to the epistemological advance of the discipline, precisely in a moment where the epistemology of tourism enters in a serious crisis. Though I here am synthesizing my experience as author, reviewer and editor, no less true is that it situates as a complementary platform to expand the current understanding of tourism and its intersection in culture.

The Lost Paradise

A vast array of studies focuses on religious tourism as the promising segment of tourism growth for next decades, this is a really prominent theme concerns many scholars today. However, our chapter is on the opposite direction, tourism is an expression of religiosity enrooted in Western Culture. this chapter explores the religiosity of tourism in order to expand the current understanding we have of this complex phenomenon. Far from representing a radical critique to some scholars or some position, this chapter aims to become in a contribution to expand the current paradigms in tourism-led research.

Dietary Matters to Which Tourists With Religious Sensitivity Pay Attention During Their Vacation

People change their location around the world every year based upon various reasons. The most comprehensive type of these changes of location is international tourism. In 2015, it is known that 1,184,000,000 people have changed their location taking part in the international tourism. Many people from different nations, religions and habits participate in tourism and they want to continue with their own habits and stick by their religious belief even in the host country. However, tourists with religious sensitivity have some difficulties on the matter of nutrition during their stay. This situation directly affects the food and beverage industry. This study will examine primarily the points that the tourists with religious sensitivity give importance to about their food and beverage choices during their vacation with respect to various religious groups, secondly the problems that they might face with regarding the concerned points and lastly this study will propose several solutions to some of those problems.