Top Ten Religious Travel Trends

on location: international

kevin j. wright

Top 10 Religious Travel Trends

The president of the World Religious Travel Association looks at 2009, proclaimed the Year of Faith Tourism

Travelers contribute manpower on missionary trips.

IN RECENT YEARS THE religious

as Lourdes (France) witnessed a

National Tour Association (NTA) has

tourism and hospitality marketplace

record-breaking number of visitors.

seen its member tour operators in-

has evolved from a rather obscure

Many destinations, attractions and

crease their religious programs; 35 per-

niche market into an attention-grab-

events in North America also experi-

cent of them now offer religious tour

bing, $18-billion global industry. In-

enced a year of growth in faith-based

product. More operators will roll out

deed, faith-based travel today is in the

tourism.

(and/or expand) religious travel pro-

midst of a remarkable growth spurt.

What can we expect in 2009 for the

International travel by Americans

religious travel and hospitality market-

for religious purposes has doubled over the past five years and according to a

place? Consider the top 10 trends: More tour operators will debut reli-

grams in 2009.

More travel agencies will become involved in selling to religious groups and travelers. The increase in tour op-

recent study by Menlo Consulting, this

gious travel programs. In the past five

erators offering religious programs (see

trend is expected to continue for an-

years, formal religious travel programs

previous trend) will result in a greater

other five years. Destinations such as

have been introduced by large tour op-

number of travel agents entering the

Israel, Jordan and Palestine enjoyed

erators like Trafalgar Tours,

faith tourism marketplace because

some of their best tourism years ever in

Mayflower Tours (Faithful Holidays)

there is more product available to sell.

2008. European pilgrimage sites such

and the Globus family of brands. The

18 February 2009

Cruise lines will devote more efforts LeisureGroupTravel.com

and products towards the faith-based market. Cruise companies are major beneficiaries of the recent growth in religious tourism, and more faith-based groups are choosing cruising as their preferred choice of a “fellowship vacation.” Companies such as Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Monarch Classic Cruises and Steps of Paul Coastal Cruises have recently debuted or expanded ports of call in the Holy Land.

Missionary travel and volunteer vacations will continue to surge in popularity. The number of people taking a “vacation with a purpose” has doubled in the past five years to two million Americans. One of the major drivers of this marketplace in the coming years

Cruise lines will devote more efforts and products towards the faith-based market.

will be travel agents. Although agents have traditionally steered clear of selling this type of vacation, more of them will begin offering missionary travel

fast-growing leisure group travel mar-

developed stellar reputations for their

and volunteer vacations due to in-

ket as well.

expertise in pilgrimage travel; these in-

creased assistance from wholesalers

Monasteries and retreat guesthouses

clude companies such as 206 Tours,

such as MTS Travel, Raptim Travel

will welcome an increase in visitors. As

Group IST (Journeys Unlimited and

and Lifetree Adventures.

2009 will be a year most likely filled

Regina Tours) and Unitours. In 2009

Tourist offices/boards and conven-

with uncertainty and increased anxiety

and beyond, we’ll see religious tour op-

tion and visitors bureaus will devote

across the world, many people will be

erators expanding their leisure product

more resources and personnel towards

searching for a place that provides sol-

offerings, from cruising and local get-

developing the faith-based travel mar-

ace and serenity. As a result, monaster-

aways to faith-based attraction visits,

ket. As religious group travel and

ies and retreat guesthouses are gearing

African safaris and volunteer vaca-

events continue to develop into a vital

up for a possible record-setting number

tions. In summary, we’ll see more reli-

source of new revenues and visitors,

of visitors; about 2.5 million North

gious tour operators debut leisure

we’ll see a growing trend of destination

Americans embark on a retreat each

travel programs – and we’ll see more

management organizations hiring a

year. To meet the growing demand,

of them cross-sell their various reli-

specific person or setting up a depart-

more publications are coming out on

gious and leisure travel products.

ment to oversee the religious market.

places of solitude and inspiration. This

One model is the Bahamas Ministry of

includes my guidebook, Europe’s

their products, services and sales/mar-

Tourism, which has a dedicated direc-

Monastery & Convent Guesthouses:

keting efforts to the religious market.

tor of religious travel in Linville John-

A Pilgrim’s Travel Guide (Liguori

Museums, amusement parks and the-

son. A second trend will include CVBs

Publications).

aters already welcome religious groups.

and regional tourist offices devoting

Religious tour operators will ex-

Attractions will further customize

However, many such attractions take

more resources towards attracting and

pand their product offerings into

the market for granted and do little to

developing not only the religious con-

leisure travel. Many leading religious

further draw people of faith. As the

ventions and meetings market but the

tour operators in North America have

potential of the religious marketplace

LeisureGroupTravel.com

February 2009 19

international

becomes more apparent, we’ll begin to see a change in how attractions cater to faith-based groups.

Religious groups will continue to

million attendees today.

Churches and faith-based organizations will launch travel programs in ever-increasing numbers. Approxi-

gather – no matter what the year

mately 50,000 of the 400,000 churches

ahead brings. If there is one tradition

and religious organizations in America

that cuts across all religions, it is this:

possess some kind of travel program.

people of faith like to gather. To look

One of the hottest trends in faith com-

at it another way, “community” lies at

munities is the hosting of a travel pro-

the very core of many faiths and reli-

gram (also known as “travel

gions. For this reason, it comes as no

ministry”). There is much greater

surprise that the religious market rep-

awareness in religious circles about the

resents about 16 percent of the meet-

benefits of combining faith, fun and

ings industry and is estimated to be

fellowship through travel. This aware-

twice the size of the business meetings

ness is being driven by expanded media

market. According to the Religious

coverage on the topic, growth of reli-

Conference Management Association

gious travel guidebooks, and the in-

(RCMA), the religious meetings mar-

crease in travel companies marketing

ket has grown from 4.4 million atten-

and selling directly to churches and

dees in 1994 to an estimated 15

faith-based organizations. LGT

20 February 2009

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TEL AVIV CELEBRATES Tel Aviv is marking its 100th anniversary with year-long celebrations that kick off April 4 with a massive concert in Rabin Square, complete with multi-media experiences and performances by international stars, the New Israeli Opera and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta.

Founded in 1909 on sand dunes as a garden suburb of ancient Jaffa, Tel Aviv quickly burgeoned into a metropolis, styling itself as "the first Hebrew city in A classical concert at Tel Aviv's Mann Auditorium: the Israel Philharmonic, solo singers and a visiting choir.

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ESCO World Heritage Site. By the turn

February 2009 23

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24 February 2009

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