The Role of Communication Technologies in Restructuring Pilgrimage Journeys

Pilgrimage has evolved alongside the evolution of communication technology. Emergent communication technology is changing how people present themselves and tell others about their experiences, including within the context of pilgrimages. Building upon this recognition, this paper examines how evolving communication technologies have changed pilgrimage using Victor Turner’s concepts of rite of passage and communitas. This conceptual paper recognises that technologies, such as the internet, mobile phones and social media, all influence the three stages of the pilgrimage ritual process: separation, liminality, and reintegration. This paper provides a conceptual clarification of the differences between how the medieval and the 21st Century pilgrims experience and represent rite of passage and define the spirit of community, and position themselves in relation to both. The paper shows that the power of the physical journey clearly remains the same in modern pilgrimages as it was in the medieval era, but the mental journey is meaningfully altered. Using Goffman’s theory of ‘self-presentation’, this paper highlights changes in how pilgrims present themselves and their pilgrimage experiences on social media. In this context, self-presentation is described as the way the pilgrim manages the impressions they make on other people, particularly at the liminal stage. While medieval pilgrims kept diaries, modern pilgrims document their pilgrimage experiences via constant status updates on social media. Social media is an important medium for modern pilgrims to present a certain version of self-identity to other users of sites. This paper emphasises the need for a deeper assessment of the conceptualisation of pilgrimage in the contemporary era as technology creates and facilitates new layers of the pilgrimage experience

‘Reverse gaze’ in spiritual tourism: fact or myth?

The term ‘reverse gaze’ is used in tourism academia to describe the interaction between tourist photographers and local subjects, which challenges traditional power dynamics in tourism. However, further research is needed to explore this concept within the wider context of tourism. In this research note, I adopt an autoethnographic approach to provide a reflective analysis of the Ganga Aarti ritual in India. Specifically, I examine the nuances of the reverse gaze concept in the realm of spiritual tourism, contributing to a deeper understanding of its dynamics. Through exploring the interplay between tourists and locals during the Ganga Aarti ritual, this study sheds light on the transformative power of the reverse gaze and its implications for cultural immersion and spiritual experiences. The empirical findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge in tourism studies and provide opportunities for further exploration in this area

Volunteer tourists' satisfaction and future behavioral intention

This study attempts to investigate the volunteer tourists? satisfaction with their volunteer tourism experiences and the relationship of the overall satisfaction to their future behavioral intention specifically, intention to revisit and intention to recommend. Although previous research has explored volunteer tourism motivation, experiences and satisfaction, but less research is done to explore the volunteer tourists? satisfaction with respect to their expectations and perceptions. Thus, this study seeks to determine volunteer tourists? expectations and perceptions of their volunteer tourism experiences by measuring their satisfaction level using six experiences attributes. A conceptual model with the concept of the Expectancy-Disconfirmation is used to examine the overall satisfaction among volunteer tourists who had participated with the volunteer program at Batu Puteh Village for the past three years. A sample of 38 respondents was surveyed with online survey questionnaire. A series of analyses were performed using PASW 18. The results of the study illustrates overall motivational factors of volunteer tourists reflected previous studies as majority of the respondents went on their volunteer tourism trip with a desire to experience something completely new and interact with the local people. Moreover, there are significant differences between the expectation and performance of the volunteer tourism experience attributes. By using the Expectancy-Disconfirmation model for predicting overall satisfaction, „Project Tasks” is the main element in terms of Negative Disconfirmation among volunteer tourists then followed by „Personal Achievement? and „Authentic Experience? attributes. However, overall satisfaction level tended towards the high end of the satisfaction scale which suggests that the volunteer tourism experience at Batu Puteh Village provides volunteer tourists with a satisfactory experience. Regression analysis was conducted to test the relationship between overall satisfaction and future behavioural intentions. The results of the study showed that even though the volunteer tourists had a high satisfaction level with the overall volunteer tourism experiences, a significantly lower proportion of volunteers intended to revisit Batu Puteh Village but high proportion will provide positive recommendation. The next finding showed no significant difference between volunteer tourists? overall satisfaction and year of visit; the levels of overall satisfaction of the volunteer tourists are the same. Based on the results, this study concludes that understanding volunteer tourists? motivation, expectation and perception can help to maximize their volunteer tourism experiences and promote loyalty

Volunteer Tourists’ Motivation and Satisfaction: A Case of Batu Puteh Village Kinabatangan Borneo

Volunteer tourism experiences represent a combination of both voluntary work and travel. The success of a volunteer program lies in its ability to create a balance between opportunities to learn, experience new things, have fun, and contribute to worthwhile projects. Using the Volunteer Program at Batu Puteh Village in Kinabatangan, Malaysian Borneo as the case study, the present study determines the factors that drive individuals to participate in the program. It also examines volunteer tourists’ satisfaction with their volunteer tourism experiences. Additionally, the present study looks at the relationship between volunteer tourists’ satisfaction level and their behavioral intention. The results of the study demonstrate that volunteer tourists of the Batu Puteh Volunteer Program came with a desire to experience something completely new and to interact with local people. The study also reveals a significant difference between the expectations and perceptions of the volunteer tourism experience attributes. Despite the gap, the overall satisfaction level leans toward the high point of the satisfaction scale, suggesting that Batu Puteh Village provides a satisfactory volunteer tourism experience

Conceptualizing the Changing Faces of Pilgrimage Through Contemporary Tourism

This paper aims to conceptualize the pilgrimage and tourism relationship in the contemporary world. As the boundaries between pilgrimage and tourism have become blurred, there is a need to find a more holistic way to understand the nuances of the pilgrimage-tourism relationship. This conceptual paper argues that pilgrimage offers a stage for rejuvenation in the contemporary era. In the 21st Century, the concept of pilgrimage travel has re-emerged in tourism with a new identity that goes beyond the idea of pilgrimage as a journey to a sacred place. Building on this recognition, this paper provides a conceptual framework that emphasizes the linkages between pilgrimage and contemporary tourism using three core elements: meaning, ritual, and transformation. This framework allows broader interpretations of pilgrimage travel in different phenomena of tourism in the contemporary era

Pilgrimage in the COVID-19 Era: Uncovering Supply Side Challenges and Opportunities in Media Representations

Pilgrimage travel, a common practice across major religions, has historically exhibited remarkable resilience to global crises, owing to the unwavering conviction of its followers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant departure from this trend, disrupting pilgrimage tourism, unlike any event since World War II. Despite extensive research on the pandemic’s impact on tourism, limited attention has been directed towards understanding its specific effects on pilgrimage travel. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by pilgrimage tourism suppliers in the aftermath of COVID-19. To obtain a comprehensive global perspective, we collected and analysed one hundred and fifty media articles from thirty countries. The thematic analysis of these articles revealed eight challenges and four opportunities encountered by pilgrimage tourism suppliers during the pandemic. These findings not only highlight the distinctive struggles within the pilgrimage sector but also provide broader insights into the implications for the tourism industry at large. By exploring the intricacies of COVID-19’s impact on pilgrimage tourism, this research contributes valuable knowledge to guide strategies for resilience and recovery in this durable yet vulnerable sector

“To use or not to use” - Mobile technology in nature-based tourism experience

This study investigates the role of mobile technology in the three stages (pre-visit, during-visit, and post-visit) of nature-based tourism (NBT) experiences. By employing collaborative autoethnography and reflexive thematic data analysis, this research explored the NBT experiences of four researchers who participated in a nature-based trek. The findings revealed that in the pre-visit stage, mobile technologies enhanced the NBT experience by enabling the flow of information for planning and mediating the anticipated experiences. Mobile technologies supported tracking well-being, documenting, and sharing the experience online in the during-visit stage. In the post-visit stage, mobile technologies allowed for reliving, reflecting, and sharing the experience. Using mobile technology in this NBT experience also led to some negative experiences, specifically interruptions that resulted in some participants' inability to truly immerse themselves in the experience. This study adds to the existing body of literature on NBT, highlighting the implications of technology, particularly mobile technology, for NBT experiences that can be capitalised on by visitors and destinations/service providers

“To use or not to use” - Mobile technology in nature-based tourism experience

This study investigates the role of mobile technology in the three stages (pre-visit, during-visit, and post-visit) of nature-based tourism (NBT) experiences. By employing collaborative autoethnography and reflexive thematic data analysis, this research explored the NBT experiences of four researchers who participated in a nature-based trek. The findings revealed that in the pre-visit stage, mobile technologies enhanced the NBT experience by enabling the flow of information for planning and mediating the anticipated experiences. Mobile technologies supported tracking well-being, documenting, and sharing the experience online in the during-visit stage. In the post-visit stage, mobile technologies allowed for reliving, reflecting, and sharing the experience. Using mobile technology in this NBT experience also led to some negative experiences, specifically interruptions that resulted in some participants' inability to truly immerse themselves in the experience. This study adds to the existing body of literature on NBT, highlighting the implications of technology, particularly mobile technology, for NBT experiences that can be capitalised on by visitors and destinations/service providers

Freedom and Empowerment in International Volunteering: The Story of Angi

This case study examines the intersection of freedom and empowerment in the context of international volunteering, focusing on Angi’s personal narrative and her perception of these concepts. Angi’s journey serves as a compelling illustration of how international volunteering can foster diverse forms of freedom, thereby contributing to a comprehensive understanding of freedom as a whole. Through her international volunteering experience, Angi not only empowers herself but also brings empowerment to the children she teaches and contributes to community development. This interplay between freedom and empowerment highlights the transformative potential of international volunteering, facilitating personal growth, challenging societal norms, and creating positive change in communities