MANAGING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE ON ROMANIAN RELIGIOUS SITES: MONASTERIES ABBOTS’ PERCEPTIONS

For thousands of years, people have been travelling to places considered sacred to meet or to worship Divinity. Religion-motivated tourism is extremely important in many parts of the world. The aim of this paper is to investigate the issue of the religious tourism experience for a religion considered to be conservative and traditionalist in relation to other denominations. In order to achieve this end we distinguish the behavioural characteristics and motivations of the religious sites’ visitors through the abbots’ gaze. The research method of this study is a questionnaire based survey among more than one hundred monasteries’ superiors from different regions of Romania, places known as “holy or sacred” destinations for the Romanian religious people.visitor experience, religious tourism, religious site management, Romanian monasteries

Analysing Religious Tourism’s Influence on Tourism Policy Makers

This article seeks to determine whether there are any differences in managers’ perceptions of the impact of religious tourism on tourism policy makers. The focus is on Montenegro as an old religious tourism destination, with a long tradition of religious tourism development. The initial survey sample had 2,104 cases, and the work sample had 2,076 cases. One-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used for testing the work hypotheses. The survey was conducted electronically and without any influence on managers as respondents. For data processing, IBM SPSS Statistics 26 was used. The highest number of statistically significant differences was shown between managers in organisations that have religious tourism as a primary offer and organisations that do not have an offer of religious tourism at all. The most significant differences were about the influence of religious tourism on the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro; Montenegrin Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism; Government of Montenegro; Regional Tourism Organisations of Montenegro and; Local governments of Montenegro. The highest level of significant differences belongs to the level p = 0.000, and it concerns managers’ perception of the influence of religious tourism on the European Commission and National Tourism Organization of Montenegro. The results offer managers’ perception of differences in religious tourism influence on tourism policy makers through the innovative methodology approach. The identification of significant differences in managers’ perception of religious tourism impact on tourism policy makers can protect the specific social structure of employees within the religious tourism sector. Religious tourism can become an even more significant factor in tourism development in destinations, but communications between mangers from the religious tourism sector and tourism policy makers should be more frequent and intensive. This would improve the social status of employees in the religious tourism sectors. Theoretical implications are in the field of disseminating knowledge about the impact of religious tourism on tourism policy makers. Practical implications refer to the possible determinations of the impact of religious tourism on individual tourism policy makers from micro- to mega-level. The survey can serve as a good example for future theoretical and practical researches showing how to optimise religious tourism policy in the destination

Developing Halal Tourism: The Case of Bongo Village, Gorontalo, Indonesia

Religious tourism is one of the oldest forms of tourism in Indonesia’s Gorontalo Province, which is rapidly growing to be a halal tourism destination. Such a tourism concept has created new products in the industry. However, limited research has curtailed the potential of religious tourism in Gorontalo. As a contribution to the research on religious tourism, this paper explores of religious tourism as a new method to develop Indonesia’s tourism industry. The study uses qualitative methods to review the potential of religious tourism in Gorontalo. The case study was undertaken with in-depth interviews, documentation, and observation to examine the benefits of religious tourism in Bongo, based on an evaluation of religious tourism and halal tourism. The findings show that this religious tourist village contributes to this developing country. Hence, travel and tourism have grown along with various forms of religious tourism (linked with biodiversity, landscape appreciation, and socio-cultural aspects related to religious heritage). However, these potentials have not been fully realised due to the increase of prosperous people, the tourism area’s convenience, and management gaps. This study recommends that Gorontalo should establish a planning policy to develop a new institutional stance by regulators and the local community. Religious tourism has unique characteristics that revolve around the halal tourism industry and it’s long-term sustainability

“All roads lead to Fatima”: Religious tourism at the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary

In the centennial of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, this chapter analyzes the religious tourism at Cova da Iria: historical and anthropological contextualization of the religious phenomenon; the initial stages of the pilgrimage as spontaneous occurrences without organized touristic facilities; tourism development while the rural landscape was being transformed by the construction of buildings and structures to the religious cult and host facilities appropriating icons and symbols related to the apparitions; the consolidation of the cult with the papal devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, the seers beatifcation, and canonization and the centennial celebrations imposing a complex management of the sanctuary activities and spaces; as well as a challenging communication of its religious meanings. Conceived as a case study, this research is based on a qualitative methodology involving a bibliographic research towards a theoretical framework, as well as anthropological methods such as direct observation

INTERCULTURALITY – A FACTOR OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT (PART 1 - GASTRONOMY IN TOURISM, ATTRACTION OR IMPEDIMENT)

In order to transmit a culture without altering it, while creating tourism, cultural and religious products, a variety of details must be taken into account regarding the basic tourism services such as accommodations and food. (gastronomy)These servicestourism, gastronomy, tradition, interculturality, advertising, tourism product

Opportunities and Challenges of Religious Tourism Development in Uganda: Policy, Planning and Institutional Perspectives

Religious tourism is a steadily growing tourism product niche in Uganda after wildlife-based tourism. However, limited research has curtailed planning and development of religious tourism in the country. As a contribution to knowledge on his subject, this paper analyses the tourism policy, planning and institutional frameworks as a precursor to harnessing the potential of religious tourism in the country. Applying a mixed methods approach, the evolution of religious tourism in Uganda was reviewed. To examine actor perceptions and benefits of religious tourism, two case studies were undertaken with the help of a structured questionnaire and key informant interviews. A SWOT analysis was conducted to analyse the policy, planning and institutional frameworks of religious tourism. Findings reveal that in spite of limited institutional input, religious travel has organically evolved since the 1880s. Worshipers, visitors and neighbouring community at the religious sites concur that religious tourism can be developed as it generates socio-religious and economic benefits. The SWOT analysis indicates that Uganda has a high religious tourism potential with a number of sites located in different parts of the country. However, their potential is not yet fully realised due to a number of gaps in policy, planning and institutional frameworks. The paper recommends the establishment of a comprehensive policy, planning and institutional framework to guide actor coordination, infrastructure and facilities development, product diversification, sustainable financing and research

The Effect Of Residents' Place Attachment On Their Attitude Towards Development Of Religious Tourism: The Moderating Effect Of Personal Benefit

Residents’ attitude towards tourism development in religious tourism destinations is especially relevant for tourism planning. Nevertheless, there are few studies that analyse how residents’ attitude towards development of religious tourism is formed. This paper analyses the effect of residents’ place attachment on their attitudes towards development of religious tourism, considering perceived impacts of tourism as mediator and the personal benefit derived from tourism as moderating effect. On the basis of a sample of 410 residents of Montecristi, a religious tourism destination of Ecuador, and using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the results show that place attachment directly influences the attitude towards development of religious tourism, but mainly through the perceived impacts of tourism. Moreover, this paper finds that the influence of the perceived impacts on the support for the development of religious tourism is higher in residents with a lower personal benefit than in residents with a higher personal benefit. These findings enable a series of recommendations to be made to the agents concerned regarding the development of religious tourism in sacred destinations

Perceived Economic Impact of Religious Tourism: The Case of Zimbabwe

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the perceived economic impact of religious tourism in Zimbabwe. The research objectives were (1) to determine the nature of religious tourism in Zimbabwe, (2) to determine the key success factor for economically viable religious tourism in Zimbabwe, (3) to ascertain the perceived economic contribution of religious tourism, and finally (4) to propose strategies for economically sustainable religious tourism in Zimbabwe. Methods: The research adopted a qualitative approach and was descriptive in nature. The study focused on Harare and the study population was made up of a cross-section of tourism service providers in Harare, religious leaders, and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority. Purposive sampling was used for service providers and as well as religious leaders. Results: The research findings revealed that there are a lot of religious tourism activities that take place in Zimbabwe, particularly Harare, and normally take the form of pilgrimages, religious conferencing, healing and deliverance nights, and worship. The perceived economic value derived includes employment creation for the locals, an increase in foreign currency generation, and an increase in sales revenue. The research findings also show that for religious tourism to be economically sustainable there is a need for government involvement, re-packaging of the product, and investment in local infrastructure. Implications: Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the private sector need to take the religious tourism market seriously and make deliberate efforts to harness this growing market

Sacred Sites, Rituals, and Performances

The conceptual territory of religious tourism is fluid. While recreation and leisure-based motivation and behaviors are evident in religious tourism, this volume reiterates its rootedness in tenets from religious traditions and pilgrimages. Using fresh perspectives on place-stories, rituals, performances, that are central to pilgrimage and sacred sites, essays in this volume explain contemporary expressions of religious tourism and illustrate the dynamic nature of religious tourism as an ecosystem embedded in religious practices, rituals and performances. The explanations will benefit researchers and practioners alike and they can find numerous examples that show the significance of religious tourism for sustainable development of destinations