Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Tourism

Tourism plays a critical role in the economies of numerous countries worldwide. Religious tourism is a significant aspect of cultural tourism. The purpose of religious tourism is to visit holy places and religious centres outside one's country for a maximum of six months. Alternatively, this idea can be seen as an endeavour to offer services to religious tourists. Participating in worshipping and praying is possible through Pilgrimage tourism. The classification of the Pilgrimage can also be based on the number of people involved, such as individuals, families, or groups. Long and short pilgrimages can be identified by considering the tour's duration. Domestic and foreign tours are available based on the shrine's location. The purpose of this study is to present a review of the literature on religious tourism, which is becoming increasingly important. The data collection occurred through various stages. First, a search was conducted using the keywords “Religious tourism” and “Pilgrimage tourism” to find relevant documents for the research. In the second step, researchers identified the most useful databases, which include Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct, as the main academic databases. VOSviewer was also used to visually depict the research done to date on Scopus. The other research technique was autoethnography. It involves examining and reflecting on personal experiences through a cultural lens. Key themes and new developments in religious tourism have been emphasized, along with its overlaps with other tourism sectors. The literature on religious tourism that this study reviews spans over a decade.