Gastronomy and Tourism Research Group

ATLAS Special Interest Group
Religous Tourism and Pilgrimage Research Group

Index

Annual review of activities 2007
Annual review of activities 2006
Annual review of activities 2005
Annual review of activities 2004

Annual review of activities 2007

Vķtor Ambrósio
Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril, Portugal
vitor.ambrosio@eshte.pt

1^st Meeting of the Group

The Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group was launched by ATLAS and hosted by the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (Portugal) with the sponsorship of the Tourism Board of Leiria-Fįtima. One of the aims was to increase the relatively little research that has been done in the relationship between cultural tourism, spiritual tourism, and religious tourism.

The 1st Expert Meeting was held at one of the world“s most renowned religious and pilgrimage sites-Fįtima, Portugal. Papers on issues relating to the conference theme were presented and proceedings were published and are available through ATLAS.

2^nd Meeting of the Group

At the meeting of the ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group in Naples, a number of ideas were put forward for future research in activities of the group. The discussion was wide ranging and not only extended the ideas put forward by the different contributors but also included new thoughts and suggestions.

Compile a religious tourism and pilgrimage bibliography

A suggested activity was to begin compiling a religious tourism and pilgrimage bibliography among group members. An initial list of sources was sent to all group members in order to contribute with new references. The Laboratory of Tourism at the Polytechnic Institute of

Viana do Castelo, Portugal, would compile the list. This bibliography should summarize studies on religious tourism and pilgrimage in all languages, and cover such topics as planning and development, marketing, sustainable development, economic and other effects of tourism.

Synergy with the ATLAS Cultural Tourism Special Interest Group

In 2004, the ATLAS Cultural Tourism Special Interest Group conducted visitor interviews at a range of different cultural sites and attractions around the world, including religious ones. It was proposed to work closely with this group and possibly analyse the data to maintain an overview of the relationship between tourism, culture and religious space for (1) understanding the demand for religious space, (2) character profiles of the populations choosing to visit religious space and (3) the motivations for visitors / tourists to seek out these spaces.

The questionnaire has questions applicable to religious tourism and pilgrimage contexts, including if respondents visited or planned to visit certain cultural attractions or cultural events in this area. One of the options was religious sites.

The questionnaire is available on the web: www.geocities.com/atlasproject2004

3^rd Meeting of the Group

The experience at the Naples meeting showed that the group had a fair amount to discuss and that a brief meeting during the ATLAS conference is not really enough to do it all. It was suggested that the next meeting not be held in 2005 but rather in 2006. This would give members time to conduct the case study research. The meeting should probably be much like the format of the initial meeting in Fatima-12 to 15 participants meeting for two days with presentations and enough time devoted to discussion.

However, several members of the group suggested that a meeting should take place during the ATLAS Conference in Barcelona. As a result, ATLAS Secretariat was contacted to include the meeting on the conference programme. The meeting was scheduled parallel to workshop sessions, and during it a new coordinator was elected (it was also decided that the coordination of this group would be on a rotating basis). During this meeting Christos Petreas from Greece suggested to have the next expert's meeting (the 4th meeting of the group) in his country, in Kalambaka, by the end April, beginning May 2006; unfortunately, due to a reorganization of the Greek government/ Ministry of Tourism (during Springs 2006), it didn't take place.

In meanwhile other contacts were made, and finally a meeting will take place in Lourdes (France) on the 26th and 27th October - the theme will be The Development of Sanctuary Towns". Before the meeting another one (an informal meeting) will take place in Viana do Castelo (Portugal), on the 04th September, one day prior to the annual conference - here will be discuss the possibility of having projects (concerning religious tourism and pilgrimages) which may include more than one country.

Dissertations and Publications

Razaq Raj and Nigel Morpeth from Leeds Metropolitan University edited in CABI "Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Festivals Management - An International Perspective". Many chapters are contributions from the Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group members

Vitor Ambrósio discussed his PhD dissertation "Religious Tourism - The Development of Sanctuary Towns" last December.

Discussion list

The ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group discussion list is active (religious@atlas-euro.org). Only subscribers of this list can send and receive messages send to this address.

Annual review of activities 2006

Vķtor Ambrósio
Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril, Portugal
vitor.ambrosio@eshte.pt

1^st Meeting of the Group

2^nd Meeting of the Group

Compile a religious tourism and pilgrimage bibliography

Researching alternative uses for religious buildings

John Winton from the Churches Tourism Network Wales presented a paper at the Barcelona 2004 Cultural Tourism Conference on "Researching Alternative Uses for Religious Buildings". Since then John Winton has been active in the group and has agreed to cooperate with this group if it decides to use the methodology on which he based his study to conduct similar research elsewhere. The approach is similar to initiatives being taken in Italy and presented by Clara Petrillo at the initial meeting in Fįtima.

Synergy with the ATLAS Cultural Tourism Special Interest Group

The questionnaire is available on the web: www.geocities.com/atlasproject2004

3^rd Meeting of the Group

Meanwhile other contacts were made, and there are strong possibilities to have the meeting, either in France, or in Portugal. Also John Winton showed some interest in having the meeting in Wales.

Dissertations and Publications

Razaq Raj is editing a book titled "Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Mangement", and many chapters are contributions from the Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group members.

Vitor Ambrósio handed in his PhD dissertation "Religious Tourism - The Development of Sanctuary Towns" and hopes to discuss it in October.

Discussion list

Annual review of activities 2005

Carlos Fernandes
Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestćo de Viana do Castelo, Portugal
cfernandes@estg.ipvc.pt

1st meeting of the Group
The Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group was launched by ATLAS and hosted by the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (Portugal) with the sponsorship of the Tourism Board of Leiria-Fįtima. One of the aims was to increase the relatively little research that has been done in the relationship between cultural tourism, spiritual tourism, and religious tourism.

2nd meeting of the Group
At the last meeting of the ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group in Naples, a number of ideas were put forward for future research in activities of the group. The discussion was wide ranging and not only extended the ideas put forward by the different contributors but also included new thoughts and suggestions. There was general agreement that the topics listed below would require investigation and research:

Exploration and refinement of the Sacred - Profane continuum.
Understanding the demand for religious space
Character profiles of the populations choosing to visit religious space
The motivations for visitors / tourists to seek out these spaces
The nature of the experience different individuals take away from their time in religious space
Further investigating the proposed concept of 'Spiritual' Tourism exploring the effect / changes which some visitors / tourists claim are a result of their tourist activity in spiritual space. (Schneiders 1989 analysis was proposed as an appropriate starting point).
Welcoming tourists as a pastoral function of the church
The degradation of sacred space, e.g. loss of a 'sense of place'
The interaction of the 'Church', private sector interests and public authorities at major religious sites (e.g. Shrine, Hotelier, Regional Tourist Board) such as Fatima or Lourdes

Compile a religious tourism and pilgrimage bibliography
A suggested activity was to begin compiling a religious tourism and pilgrimage bibliography among group members. An initial list of sources was sent to all group members in order to contribute with new references. The Laboratory of Tourism at the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Portugal, would compile the list.

This bibliography should summarize studies on religious tourism and pilgrimage in all languages, and cover such topics as planning and development, marketing, sustainable development, economic and other effects of tourism. Material should be drawn from a wide range of academic disciplines, including economics, planning, geography, and history. Sources should be accompanied by a 3-4 line summary.

Researching alternative uses for religious buildings
John Winton from the Churches Tourism Network Wales presented a paper at the Barcelona 2004 Cultural Tourism Conference on "Researching Alternative Uses for Religious Buildings". Since then John Winton has been active in the group and has agreed to cooperate with this group if it decides to use the methodology on which he based his study to conduct similar research elsewhere. The approach is similar to initiatives being taken in Italy and presented by Clara Petrillo at the initial meeting in Fįtima.

Synergy with the ATLAS Cultural Tourism Special Interest Group
In 2004, the ATLAS Cultural Tourism Special Interest Group conducted visitor interviews at a range of different cultural sites and attractions around the world, including religious ones. It was proposed to work closely with this group and possibly analyse the data to maintain an overview of the relationship between tourism, culture and religious space for (1) understanding the demand for religious space, (2) character profiles of the populations choosing to visit religious space and (3) the motivations for visitors / tourists to seek out these spaces.

3rd Meeting of the Group
The experience at the Naples meeting showed that the group has a fair amount to discuss and that a brief meeting during the ATLAS conference is not really enough to do it all. It was suggested that the next meeting not be held in 2005 but rather in 2006. This would give members time to conduct the case study research. The meeting should probably be much like the format of the initial meeting in Fatima-12 to 15 participants meeting for two days with presentations and enough time devoted to discussion.

However, since then several members of the group have suggested that a meeting take place during the ATLAS Conference in Barcelona. As a result, ATLAS Secretariat was contacted to include the meeting on the conference programme. The meeting will be scheduled parallel to workshop sessions, in which papers may be presented, followed by a short meeting in which a new coordinator will be elected. In the previous meeting it had been decided that the coordination of this group would be on a rotating basis. Nominations are being accepted. The new coordinator will prepare the 4th meeting of the group, possibly in 2006.

Discussion list
The ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group discussion list is active (religious@atlas-euro.org). Only subscribers of this list can send and receive messages send to this address.

Annual review of activities 2004

In the final session of the first meeting of the Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Special Interest Group, discussion focussed on the possible future activities. The discussion was wide ranging and not only extended the ideas put forward by the different contributors but also included new thoughts and suggestions. There was general agreement that the topics listed below would require investigation and research:

Exploration and refinement of the Sacred - Profane continuum
Understanding the demand for religious space
Character profiles of the populations choosing to visit religious space
The motivations for visitors / tourists to seek out these spaces
The nature of the experience different individuals take away from their time in religious space
Further investigating the proposed concept of 'Spiritual' Tourism exploring the effect / changes which some visitors / tourists claim are a result of their tourist activity in spiritual space. (Schneiders 1989 analysis was proposed as an appropriate starting point)
Welcoming tourists as a pastoral function of the church
The degradation of sacred space, e.g. loss of a 'sense of place'
The interaction of the 'Church', private sector interests and public authorities at major religious sites (e.g. Shrine, Hotelier, Regional Tourist Board) such as Fatima or Lourdes

The proceedings of the first meeting were published by our host in Fįtima, the Regional Tourist Board of Leiria-Fatima.

The 2^nd expert meeting of the ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Research Group, to take place during the ATLAS conference in Naples, is designed to review the issues raised during the 1^st meeting held in Fįtima and set research priorities on religious / pilgrimage / spiritual tourism related research themes. Papers will not be presented at this meeting.

A proposal has been received to host the 3rd meeting of the ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Research Group from the Nazareth Tourist Board. Other proposals are expected at the meeting in Naples.

For more information on the ATLAS Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Research Group or the Expert Meeting, please contact:Carlos Fernandes.