Religious Tourism around the World and Hajj as a Tourism Religious Destination - Assignment Example

Running Headers: INVESTIGATION OF THE RELIGIOUS TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD AND HAJJ AS A TOURISM RELIGIOUS DESTINATION. Name: Course: Institution: Instructor: Date: Introduction The notion of religious tourism appears quite contentious both in the perspective of religious authorities and also the academic point of view of the tourism study. According to the religious authorities, the idea is considered as a certain divergence from the pure peregrination actions while the academicians believe that the phenomenon lacks definition and sometimes it’s rejected as tourist realism. Religion is traditionally linked with tourism. Most of the popular tourist destinations are mostly found on the primordial places of worship: Temple of Hathor-te pharanoic mother Goddess at Dendera in Upper Egypt; Jerusalem, Amritsar, and Mount Fuji: the global first travelers visited these places. The study of religion includes a wide range of academic disciplines that in the past have attracted the attention of classicists, historians, sociologists, orientalists, theologians and philosophers (Hinnels, 1984). More and more, the study of religion have been partnered with other academic subjects in order to articulate innovative importance of religion in the modern-day sociocultural milieu. The religious tours usually represent a significant phenomenon which involves the tourism industry. Currently around 40 million people all over the world spend at least 4 billion dollars in order to visit places of worship. Most of them are driven by the desire to find out the roots of Christianity and also to be moved by those holy places. Religious tourism which can also be referred to as faith tourism is a type of tourism which involves people of faith traveling in groups or individually for missionary, pilgrimage, or fellowship or leisure purposes. The global largest type of mass religious tourism takes place a yearly at Hajj Pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Around $10 billion of this religious tourism comprises of the North Americans. Although there is no definite research which has been concluded on the global religious tourism, some portions of the industry has been measured which gives the statistics of the religious tourism. For instance, World Tourism Organization gives an estimated 300 to 330 million pilgrim’s tour to the global main religious sites annually. The US office of Tourism and Travel industries states that there has been an increment of 30 percent of the Americans who travel overseas for pilgrimage and religious purposes. Their statistics show s that the numbers have increased from 491,000 tourists in 2002 to 633,000 tourists in 2005. The United Methodist Church was noted to have experienced a rise in mission volunteers from 20,000 in 1992 to 110,000 in 2006. This was a rise by 455 percent. According to the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA) more than 14.7 million persons attended religious meetings in 2006 compared to 1994 when the number was only 4.4 million. This was noted to be an increase of around 10 million people. There are intrinsic complexities within the notion of tourism which because of its theoretical flaw and ambiguity and the multidimensional and multi-faceted phenomenon of tourism (Cooper et al, 1993). Religious tourism has unclear origins mostly linked with religious pilgrimages and other movements of persons from their residential places to other places destinations (Holloway, 1989; Towner, 1994). Religious tourism in different parts of the world 1. Religious tourism in Iraq The city of Najaf in Iraq is flourishing as a religious tourist destination for Shia Muslims. Most Iranians usually make a weekly pilgrimage to the holy Imam Ali shrine. Near the shrine there are the sounds of people singing and the metrical thudding of fist the thrashing the chests. Men kneel down on carpeted floor while calling out the name of Ali repeatedly while others engage in silent prayers. Some of the people who tour the city every week include those from such cities as Isfahan, Tehran and Qom. Najaf was made a religious centre for Shia Muslims as a result of death and burial of Ali ibn Abi Talib who was the first imam and inheritor of the Caliphate. His death occurred in the 7th century as he led his people in prayer and was struck with a sword from behind. In the late 1970s, Najaf was sent into decline as a result of rise to authority of saddam Hussein who feared the rule of the Shia and as a result he dismantled their religious icons. The other cause of decline of Najaf was Islamic revolution to the east. City of Qom therefore became the centre of Shia faith in 1979. This city of Qom, which is the power base of Iranians clerics has been influenced and presided over both religiously and politically by the clerics. As a result of the religious tourism in Iraq, there have been increased job opportunities and revenues for the country. The many pilgrims who tour the city annually bring with them money and also create jobs for the people. Some amount of this money is used up on expanding the shrine. From this viewpoint the city is growing upwards culturally, economically and also as a religious centre. As a result of this growth, the city of Najaf has challenged Qom as a religious authority and in addition it has undermined the authority and power of the Iranian state as the political and spiritual leader of the global Shia Muslims. 2. Religious tourism in Andujar, Spain The city of Andujar in Spain is a major attraction of celebration of pilgrimage of the virgin de la cabeza. It is usually held from 20 April to May Day. This shrine of the virgin is visited on a weekly basis by travelers’ from various parts of Spain. The shrine of the virgin is a structure with striking architecture. The city is very significance in religious tourism. It host about over a million pilgrims every last weekend of April every year. The pilgrims usually place flowers at the feet of the virgin as a sign of offering. The shrine of virgin cabeza is situated about 30 kilometers from Andujar Easter religious festival is a significance festival in the city. It has been declared a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest. The proceedings of the festival usually take place in the momentous centre of the town therefore creating a striking atmosphere. This city is rich in historical and social, cultural and natural resources where people make excursions on horse back, by bike, and adventure sports. 3. Religious tourism in Italy In Italy, there are many beautiful, important and charming places for the religious tourists. Some of theses places to mention include padova, venezia, Loreto, roma, Firenze, San Giovanni Rotondo among others. All these cities are a major religious tourist attraction attracting million of people annually who are driven by their devotion and faith. For instance, among these cities, Rome has been the centre of pilgrimages. It contains a lot more than 900 churches in the urban setting. It is the heart of Christianity. Romes cathedral is the Basilica of St John Lateran. These churches usually posse’s extraordinary artistic and unique beauty which attracts tourists and pilgrims from all parts of the world. The figure of pope is another attraction for the religious tourists. Millions of people from all over the world come to Rome every year to hear his teachings. They say that “all of those are in Rome, is Rome”. Religious tourism is growing fast in Italy. They are witnessing more and more pilgrims finding their way into the main important shrines. Aimed at historical or believers enthusiasts, itineraries manifest by culture and faith through shrines and churches are the main significant ways of discovering that constituent of Italian history is ineluctably linked with antiquity to the history of the catholic church. 4. Religious tourism in Fatima: Fatima as a sanctuary city and a pilgrimage centre. The religious functions of the city are so fundamental in its origin and development (Administrative and legal status issued in 1997). The city has numerous religious houses which are the significant attraction for the many pilgrims and religious tourist who visit the town every year. Fatima started as a pilgrim centre and currently has gradually grown into a religious tourism spot. Many pilgrims, together with a large number of religious tourist groups from various nationalities come from all catholic world. The purpose of the sanctuary body is to change those who come as tourists into pilgrims by giving them the assistance they need. They the sanctuary authority usually takes advantage of the many pilgrims for a potential growth of the tourism sector by giving them a wide range of attractions so as they can stay longer in the city. This example shows that, in the modern society there is competition between recreational and religious activities for the occupation of leisure time. Fatima is an example of triangular religion: religious tourism, tourism and occupation. Definition of religious tourism and the characteristics of religious tourism Religious tourism There is no definite definition for this notion (Cui et al, 1998). There are two different perspectives about religious tourism; the first view is rooted on the fact that religious followers usually carry out touristic activities for the function of religion, among them worshiping, pilgrimage, and doctrine spreading. The second perspective lays its focus on the diverse touristic actions performed around resources of religious tourism. Religious tourism is different from other forms of tourism. Its main focus is religious culture and it has the qualities of belief, seriousness and piety. Religious tourism can also comprise non-religious tours to religious attractions, festival-sightseeing tourism, tourist sites and discovery of the cultural tourism of religious culture. We can therefore define religious tourism as follows: it is a special tourist action led by religious culture and with the help of eco cultural environment, it refers to tourist activities as research, worshiping, sightseeing and also culture practiced by lay tourists and religious followers. Characteristics of religious tourism Read More