1.2 Religion, Mega Events, and Tourism
1.2.1 Introduction
This section seeks to discuss into detail the association and interrelationship between religion, mega events, and tourism. In essence, the section reviews some of the perspective, observations, and critiques of these three aspects by previous authors. Jafari (1988) acknowledges that sporting events such as the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, Expo, and other related competitions which mostly attract audience from every part of the globe play a significant role in determining the tourism patterns. Understandably, they provide tourism opportunities for the host countries bearing in mind that visitors flock into the destination to participate in those events (Ron 2007). This implies that mega events boost the tourism sector in that regard. Whereas such events are capable of boosting the industry, the accruing benefits depend on the kind and size of the event. In addition, those benefits rely on the timing of the event and the importance attached to it (Fleming 2012). In addition to mega events, religion has a great influence in shaping up the tourism industry. Every single religion had got its own activities, doctrines, and convictions that must or should to be followed by all members (Schroeder 2009).They clearly define what behavior is offensive, unwanted and intolerable from their point of view. Now, some of the religions acknowledge and attach some importance to various geographical locations and monuments. In such a case, the religious value attached to such a place sparks tourism and makes it a destination. Critically, the number of tourists therefore depend on the level of adherence to those believes and religious norms. This section will thus focus on the impact of religion and events to tourism. It will discuss different religions, the events associated with those religious orientations, and how they influence tourism. Having discussed these aspects from a broad perspective, the discussion will then proceed to focus specifically on Hajj.
1.2.2 Religion and Tourism
1.2.21 Definition and Types of Religions
Fleming (2012) define religion as a combination of believes that make a system which explains certain natural phenomena. In principle, most of these belief systems are associated to a story of creation explaining the existence of humanity and his surroundings. In a different proposition, Gardiner (2012) argues that religion is adopted by the followers as a school of thought or a general perspective that informs their daily lives. Importantly, it gives them an acknowledgment of the past, an understanding of the present, and optimism for the future. In the contemporary world, there are various categories of religion that include Hinduism, New Age, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity among others. Understandably, each of these religions has different ideologies and views about their supreme being (Groot 2009).
Now, as stated before, Christianity is among the religions in the contemporary world. In this religion, Meynell (2003) reveal that followers have faith in a supreme being based on the teaching of Jesus. They have faith in God and they believe that He has already shown himself unto them such that they know him personally. They have trust in Jesus Christ and they believe in his teachings. During Jesus’ life on Earth, he performed miracles and pardoned the sinful while claiming to be the son of God in human form. The Bible is considered to be God’s way of communicating to humanity about his will regarding how Christians can build a lasting relationship with him. They believe that God listens and responds to their prayers. As long as they honor him, they are assured that their life gets a new meaning (Moody 1948). In essence, Christians also go for religious pilgrimages especially in Israel where the setting of the bible is based. As such, it also influences tourism in such a way that believers prefer such places as tourist destinations.
Hinduism is a religion in which believers worship Brahman through vast symbols of gods and goddesses in form of idols, rivers, animals and temples (Gardiner 2012). Hindus have faith that their situation in their current life is based on their past deeds. As such, they attribute their hardships or success to past immoralities and good deeds respectively. If an individual had a sinful past, consequences such as agony, death, and other tragedies befall the person as punishments. A Hindu's main objective is to get free from Karma law. This form of religion grants an individual the liberty to decide on how to improve spiritually. For an individual to be accepted into this religion they should be affectionate to the gods or the goddesses, develop awareness of karma, and be committed to the religious rituals and rights (Hinduism: beliefs and practices 1997). These religious rituals are the basis upon which religious tourism emerges and flourish in Hinduism.
In regard to Buddhism, the followers do not believe in the existence of God or any gods. Buddha is considered to be worshiped both by the individuals subscribing to or renouncing this religion. Despite the fact that Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) did not claim to be divine, the followers of this religion see him as having achieved divine accomplishments, liberty from the incessant sequence of life and demise. They believe that an individual has uncountable rebirths based on a person’s desires, abhorrence and illusion. However, the believers are in constant pursuit to end those rebirths. The believers of this religion aim at cleansing their hearts and prohibiting themselves from physical pleasures.
Buddhists adhere to spiritual ideologies and a very devoted contemplation. Their meditation is about discipline and not praying to God. This religion reflects on ethics and high moral standards. In that regard, therefore, it is seen as a way of life and as a guide to leading a useful life (Buddhists, Brahmins, and belief: epistemology in South Asian philosophy of religion 2006).
New Age is also among the religions that exist in the contemporary society. In this religion, believers see themselves as God and the universe. It supports the growth of an individual’s capability or spirituality. When the New Age religion uses the term “god”, they refer to the perception existing within themselves, but not to the superior being that created heaven and earth (Meynell 2003). All the things that the believers see, feel, imagine, or hear are viewed to be divine. New Age considers itself as a group of prehistoric divine traditions. The Earth is seen to be the foundation of all holiness with its own aptitude, reactions and divinity. This religion instills a diverse collection of eastern spirituality, hypothetical, and intellectual procedures. Some of these intellectual procedures include activities such as inhalation trainings, intonation, throbbing and contemplation aimed to improve awareness and personal divinity. Any bad or negative experience is viewed as deception. They consider themselves to be supreme in existence and nothing is wrong about their religion.
1.2.22 Impact of these Religions on Tourism
a. Broad Relationship between Religion and Tourism
Collins-Kreiner (2014) indicates that religion has a great impact when it comes to shaping the tourism sector. Importantly, it determines the tourist’s decision to visit a certain destination. The tourism sector is constantly becoming the fastest growing industry in the contemporary world. Significantly, people are warming up to spiritual-based tours and pilgrimages. In that case, they consider their spirituality when deciding on the destinations to visit across the globe. For instance, particular religious groups may prefer to travel to a place where some specific features relating to their spiritual believes exist. In this regard, Israel has become one of those destinations where Christians flock to view some of the historical and biblical feature such as river Jordan and the city of Jerusalem among many others. Actually, Heintzman (1998) reveals that some would choose their destination based on the places where they would find their authentic religious music or even places where they can visit for worship. This implies that religion determines how tourists make their decision depending on the spiritual beliefs and type of religion available there. Whereas the religion may be an attracting factor, it may also make the tourist to avoid some destinations especially in the contemporary society where religious intolerance has increased.
b. Features and Destination Attracting Religious Tourists
Going back to the example of Jerusalem, this city is the capital city of Israel. It is considered to be the holiest city and has attracted a number of pilgrims over the years because of its historical foundation of the Christians, the Jews, and Muslims. Apart from its archaeological and historic sites, the city is also a destination to many tourists from all over the globe based on their diverse nature of their interests, technology, architecture, culture and arts.
Whereas the above sentiments indicate that religion form a baseline of choosing a destination, there is also a negative side of it. Apart from Israel, there are also other religious destinations and monuments around the world. According to Bond, Packer and Ballantyne, (2014) Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the religious destinations where tourists prefer visiting. This is a place of worship found in Myanmar. The great phenomenon is located 100 yards above the city of Rangoon. It is well known for holding the relics of the four Buddha. The tourists visit the place during the night hours to listen to the hymns of the faithful, the exceptional golden stupas shinning on spotlights, and the drifting incense. Another feature is Lotus Temple situated in India’s New Delhi. It was built in 1980 and its fame can be attributed to its serenity and calmness.
In addition to this, also have Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe Chapel located in the Southern part of France where tourists find a delightful 10th era church and totally stunning sights of the nearby village. Moreover, an additional unique historical Monument is Turkey’s Hagia Sophia. According to Fleming (2012) it is one of the ancient and architecturally significant sites of devotion in the world where tourists from all spiritual and cultural affiliations assemble to give credit and praise for its glory.
c. Specific Discussion on the Impact of Hajj on Tourism
Every single year Muslims from all over the world flock into the city of Mecca to perform Hajj. Hajj is considered as a main pillar out of the five pillars of the Islamic religion. This pilgrimage is attended by Muslims at least once in their lifetime. In accordance to Henderson (2010), during Hajj, various rituals are performed to honor the figurative life which Ibrahim subsisted together with his wife Hagar and son Ishmael. The table below shows the number of people that visited Saudi Arabia for Hajj from 1996 to 2006.
Figure 1: A figure showing the pictorial representation of Hajj attendees in Mecca in year 2008 retrieved from Blumberg (2014)
Apart from the well-known Hajj ritual, Saudi Arabia is well-endowed with natural beauty. As such, the serenity and natural beauty provides a basis for non-Muslim tourists to visit the country. The sites that attract tourists in this country are well maintained earning the country a high income (Henderson, 2010). As a result, the country has become one of the most powerful economies across the globe.
1.2.23 Using Religion to Boost Tourism
Ron (2007) reveals that religion can be used as one of the strategies to develop the tourism industry because of the key role it plays. This can be realized by putting up notes close religious institutions where people can get information on potential destinations. Identification of the religious tourism cycles should be identified in order to make good use of the opportunity. Once the cycle is identified, the government should spark more efficient growth around places where the religious features are found (Heintzman 1998).Attaching value to religious tourism should be in tandem with the wide variety of tourists visiting the country. Mecca makeover attracts so many people especially those of the Muslim faith who come to attend the Hajj ritual. This period of the year is a source of income for those in the tourism and hotel industry. It is evidenced by high revenues and booming businesses due to the high number of visitors thus resulting to the general growth of the economy.
1.2.24 Ensuring Satisfaction of Visitors during Religious Tourism
Heintzman (1998) indicates that satisfaction during religious tourism is very crucial as it greatly influences the tourism pattern. For instance, during Hajj rituals by the Muslims, service satisfaction is ensured through concreteness, reliability, receptiveness, reassurance, and compassion. In essence, these are the key factors and pillars that ensure that Hajj is great success. Therefore, to ensure that there is maximum satisfaction among the religious tourist, De Nisco et al. (2015) indicate that they must feel accomplished and secure.
1.2.3 Tourism and Mega Events
1.2.31 Definition and Types of Events
An event basically refers to an undertaking of ritual significance which is conducted on a uniquely special occasion. Most of the mega events take place on an annual basis at a location of choice. However, some unique mega events are conducted in specific places because there is significance connected to it. In this case, Hajj is one of the special mega events that take place in Saudi Arabia annually. In essence, there are different types of mega events. These types are categorized in terms of their aims. For example, there are sporting, business, and traditional mega events among others.
1.2.32 Impact of mega Events on Tourism
MMller (n.d.) indicate that mega events attract a large number of tourist arrivals thus creating some economic benefit to the host country. This is attributed to the high number of people who attend these events as tourists, participants or fans. They bring in a lot of income which boosts the tourism sector as well as the hotel industry.
1.2.33 Use of Mega Events to boost Tourism
The visitors get to learn new places and the different kind of services offered (Jafari 1988). This may make them to be frequent visitors and thus more beneficial to the host country. The country is able to raise more revenue both in the hotel and tourism industry leading to economic growth and development.
1.2.34 Marketing a Destination Using Mega Events
This is the period that countries, especially Saudi Arabia, should utilize the opportunity of marketing the products and services they offer (MMller n.d.).. In this case, event marketing can be used to further propagate tourism not only in the minds of those who attend, but also those who watch through the mass and social media. As such, after the Mega Event, the visitors would wish to come back again because of the previous experience.
1.2.35 Ensuring Satisfaction of Visitors during Mega Events
Planning and timing on when to host mega events are very important. These events should be held around holidays in order to attract a large number of people. In that case, therefore, Jafari (1988) indicated that the visitors have an opportunity to meet new people in the course of the event besides the fact that it is more eventful.
1.2.4 Conclusion
It is evident that religion and tourism are interrelated in many ways. In specific, the Islam religion has been of tremendous impact in the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. This is based on the fact that Hajj draws a lot of visitors annually as they go for pilgrimages. In this regard, it is evident that the impact of religion on tourism can be felt in the economy. In addition, Mega Events provide a perfect opportunity to the host country to market itself not only to those who attend physically, but also those who follow the proceedings over the mass and social media. These factors bring in more revenue to the hosting country and boost its economic performance. Nonetheless, there should be proper timing of some of these events to attract a large number of people as much as possible. Religion also encourages practices which promotes the country’s tourism sector. Monuments, shrines, and religious sites are known to attract more tourists and hence should be managed to sustain.
References
Benefits at Three Religious Tourism Sites. International Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 17, no. 5, pp.471-481.
Blumberg, A 2014, “Hajj 2014, Islam's Pilgrimage To Mecca: Facts, History And Dates Of The Muslim Holiday”, Retrieved April 01, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/26/hajj-2014_n_5889806.html
Bond, N, Packer, J, & Ballantyne, R 2014, Exploring Visitor Experiences and Activities. Henderson, J 2010, “Religious tourism and its management: the hajj in Saudi Arabia”, International Journal of Tourism Research,vol. 13, no. 6, pp.541-552.
“Buddhists, brahmins, and belief: epistemology in South Asian philosophy of religion”, 2006 Choice Reviews Online, vol. 43, no. 09, pp.43-5222-43-5222.
Collins-Kreiner, N 2014, “Tourism, religion and pilgrimage in Jerusalem”, Journal of Tourism History, vol. 6, no. 2, pp.251-253.
De Nisco, A, Mainolfi, G, Marino, V. and Napolitano, M 2015, Tourism satisfaction effect on general country image, destination image, and post-visit intentions. Journal of Vacation Marketing, vol. 21, no. 4, pp.305-317.
Fleming, J 2012, Unexpected Destinations: An Evangelical Pilgimage to World Christianity Wesley G, & Eerdmans, G 2011. “Tourism and Religion”, Religious Studies Revies, vol. 38, no. 3, pp.146-146.
Gardiner, M 2012, “More than belief, but not more than belief and desire”, Religion, vol. 42, no. 4, pp.617-624.
Groot, K 2009 Three Types of Liquid Religion. Implicit Religion, vol. 11, no. 3.
Heintzman, P 1998, Tourism and religion, Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 25, no. 2, pp.531-533.
Henderson, J 2010, “Religious tourism and its management: the hajj in Saudi Arabia”, International Journal of Tourism Research, vol. 13, no. 6, pp.541-552.
“Hinduism: beliefs and practices” 1997,Choice Reviews Online, vol. 35, no. 03), pp.35-1475-35-1475.
Jafari, J 1988, “Tourism mega-events” Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 15, no. 2, pp.272-273.
Meynell, H 2003, “Religion without Beliefs” New Blackfriars, vol. 84, no. 992, pp.448-461.
MMller, M n.d., “What Makes an Event a Mega-Event? Definitions and Sizes of Major, Mega- and Giga-Events”, SSRN Electronic Journal.
Moody, D 1948, “Book Review: Christian Beliefs” Review & Expositor, vol. 45, no. 2, pp.249-250.
MuslimMatters.org. (2009). Retrieved April 01, 2016, from http://cdn.muslimmatters.org/
Ron, A 2007 “Tourism, Religion, and Spiritual Journeys” Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 34, no. 2, pp.547-548.
Schroeder, J 2009, “Literature Review”, Tourism Geographies, vol. 11, no. 3, pp.419
