Faith-based tours allow travelers to retrace the steps of religious figures and witness once-in-a-lifetime events like Oberammergau’s Passion Play reenactment every 10 years, for example. Their impactful trips have a tremendous effect on local economies and communities alike.
Religious pilgrimage tourism benefits everyone involved – shrine administrators and tour operators as well as road-side souvenir stalls and pilgrims’ hostels.
1. Increased Tourism Spending
Religious pilgrimage is an international, multi-billion-dollar industry that provides both contemplation for millions of worshippers as well as economic vitality to shrine-centered economies. France’s Our Lady of Lourdes alone attracts five million visitors per year who spend $8 billion with local businesses such as souvenir stalls, hotels and restaurants during annual pilgrimages there.
Even as the coronavirus pandemic has derailed many traditional travel plans, those still making reservations report strong bookings for religious tourism experiences such as pilgrimages. As opposed to more general tours, pilgrimage travel tends to be booked ahead by committed travelers who save up and are less sensitive to fluctuations in the economy.
Tour Companies also offers religious pilgrimage tours as well as special event tours such as the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena or Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta to bring iconic events closer to people while building community among like-minded travelers.
2. Increased Income for Local Businesses
Religious tourism is an ever-expanding market, and faith-based group travel tours provide like-minded travelers the chance to connect while also strengthening their own spiritual bonds. From pilgrimages to Mecca for Muslims or walking the Camino de Santiago for Catholics in France & Spain or heading off on Apparition Hill near Medjugorje for all faiths believers alike – traveling in pursuit of faith is an ancient tradition with widespread appeal today.
While many faith-based tour operators saw sustained growth in 2013, others experienced slowdown due to regional conflicts and negative news coverage. Some attractions and destinations have responded by adapting 
their offerings in order to attract modern travelers and bring in new customers; Sight and Sound Christian theaters in Branson, Missouri and Lancaster, Pennsylvania for example have done this by expanding volunteer opportunities with nonprofit organizations – drawing more secular tourists while broadening customer bases.
3. Increased Employment Opportunities
Faith travel is an expanding field in group travel, and can include pilgrimages, visits to holy sites, mission and humanitarian tours, pastor-led retreats and congregational leisure trips. Group leaders wishing to plan religious-themed tours for their congregation or other community should partner with an operator who regularly plans and leads such tours as they are experts in this market and can ensure group travelers have a fantastic experience while at the same time supporting local economies and supporting local communities.
Faith-based tours span from Christianity-focused tours in Europe and the Middle East to special event tours like North America’s Tournament of Roses Parade or Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. Religious pilgrimage tourism provides economic benefits for shrine-centered communities worldwide.
4. Increased Economic Growth
As globalization advances, people around the globe are showing greater curiosity for learning more about different religions and cultures – leading to an explosion in religious tourism experiences for travelers of all ages.
Pilgrimage-related tourism has a direct effect on the economies that host pilgrims. Pilgrims spend substantial sums of money on food, lodging and transport during their pilgrimages – not to mention providing jobs opportunities to locals in those same countries.
The global faith-based travel market is experiencing significant expansion. This growth can be attributed to increasing interest from people looking to explore untouched heritage sites and millennials becoming more intrigued with cultural tours than pilgrimage routes in general, which are now promoted more as cultural routes rather than being limited solely for devout believers; all this should further spur growth within this market over the forecast period.
