Religious Tourism
Abstract.
Religious tourism is one of the emerging trends in the world. Islam is the leading religion to enhance religious tourism; this causes many countries to have business opportunities to venture. In this research paper, we will consider the impacts that are a result of religious tourism in different countries. We will look at the Islamic culture of religious tourism, its origin, and how they embrace it when the Muslims are in different countries the reaction of people when they see religious tourists. Challenges, countries face as a result of hosting religious tourists in their countries. Ways different countries cope with challenges, policies they implement to deal with the emerging problems.
Among the many religions in the world, Islam tends to be among the unique and distinguishable religions. Islam believes that there is only one God, and Mohammed is the only Messanger. One of the significant reasons why Islam is unique is their mode of dressing, type of food they eat, style of worship, among many other things. They believe that one way to get closer to God is by traveling; that is why they are known for religious tourism. Religion is believing and worshipping a supreme being commonly known as God. For Instance, Muslims practice Islamic religion because they believe in a certain God. Tourism is the way people move from one location to another with an aim, such as for recreational purposes while others travel to see their relatives. Islam tends to travel a lot for religious purposes; that is why they are unique.
Islam, from the past decades, is known to practice their religion to the letter. The way they worship, interact, and their beliefs, differs from the rest of the cultures. Records reveal that traveling is said a root from deep down their culture; that is why they travel a lot not only for business purposes but also for adventure. They believe that traveling gets them closer to God; that is why they encourage lots of traveling. When they travel, they travel in groups and mostly go to remote areas. Accommodation is a crucial factor they consider, areas where Mosques are available, are the most suitable places. One of the fastest-growing trends in the world is religious tourism, which makes the Islamic religion famous since they embrace the culture. Besides, religious tourism is an exciting activity for Muslims; there are some constraints that hinder them from embracing their culture. We will consider factors that favor and prevent them from religious tourism and the views of other people about their religion.
Tourism is a significant source of income for many countries due to the improved use of technology in the transport sector. It has made tourism much easier for many people and especially Islam, because they are seen as new products in the tourism sector. Some of the industries which are supposed to consider the upcoming business opportunity are hotels and also airlines. For instance, when we look at the airlines, especially in the Middle East, most Muslims prefer flights that have no alcohol or beef that is served, and the themed entertainment in the airplane is on that is religious. Thus, some of the countries that often receive many Muslims should ensure that they set favorable conditions for Muslims to travel. Eventually, it leads to an increase in revenue in the transport sector of the country. In cases of hotels, they should have a conducive environment for Muslims to stay. Most hotels, especially luxurious hotels in the Middle East, should ensure swimming pools are based on gender; no alcohol is in the hotels, and they should set aside a place where people can worship if they are no mosques around.
Religious tourism has a significant impact on the economic segment of many countries. Since many Muslims are fond of traveling, they impact many countries in a positive way. Bearing in mind that many countries host religious sites and other attractions all over the world, attracting tourists will be easy. For instance, Hajj attracts close to five million Muslims annually due to their religious sites. One of the ways religious tourism can generate income is through the expenditure made by tourists as they purchase goods and services to consume. Part of the revenue collected is used by people to cater to their needs. Infrastructure has improved due to religious tourists. As the number of tourists keeps increasing, this means that there must be advancements made in transport such as enhancing modern means of transportation. When infrastructure develops, employment generation then emerges, which includes traveling agents, new hotels and restaurants, and also new transport companies. Religious tourism has got a significant impact on the economic boom of the countries involved.
A country will grow in town centers and cities due to massive investments, a high rate of employment, and also the emergence of job opportunities. The population also increases since some tourists end up living in the country which they visited; thus, intermarriage occurs and results in growth in the community of a nation. Resources available in the country also tend to increase due to the rise of religious tourists. Facilities such as hospitals, mosques, and food production increases due to the increase in population. (Al Sudairy, 2015) Social and cultural impacts, mostly the local communities around the areas that Muslims travel most. Socially, the people around must adapt a way to communicate with the Muslims such that they understand each other. Efforts are made to learn a common language which the majority can understand. Social impacts can be both negative and positive; for example, Muslims may end up adapting behaviors from the local community, which do not abide by their customs. Positive benefits are that both parties get to learn new things out of the interaction.
The lifestyle of different people forms the cultural aspect of tourism. Muslims adapt to the lifestyle for a short time in different ways. Some get to eat new foods that they are not used as a way of interacting with the culture of the new place. Pollution affects the environment in terms of noise pollution, for instance, in areas where there could be a large group of Muslims concentrated around a holy site. Physical congestion occurs when there is a large group of people, which leads to an increase in the demand for resources, and this causes the general prices of goods to increase due to shortages. Political implications also arise as a result of religious tourism. (Carboni, 2018). First, the location where the religious tourist visit most has to be allocated more funds so that they conveniently accommodate the tourist. Second, leaders have to ensure that the area has strict surveillance to prevent any incidences of attack. Political leaders have a lot to do when it comes to catering to the needs of religious tourists.
Although there are some advantages of hosting religious tourists in once countries, there are some challenges that are faced, in times of shortages the government must have an alternative to provide commodities which are used by the tourists. Large populations in a country can result in to spread of diseases and viruses, which may spread at a fast rate, and the government may lack sufficient tools to prevent further spread of the disease. The country may experience some economic challenges, such as an increase in taxes to improve technology in the country. Racism may also be an issue of concern in countries where people have different color skins. If racism occurs, it will result in attacks in the country, which will eventually result in the political instability of the country. ( Henderson,2017).Many risks come as a result of religious tourism development. However, we can curb them by use of policies that will regulate the behavior of both the tourists and the local citizens.
The government and other supportive agencies, which include the private sector, should join hands and support religious tourism in countries and solve the challenges they face. One of the significant steps includes encouraging the private sector to support the government. This could be in terms of manufacturing commodities to prevent shortages and to partner with the tourism sector to improve the services provided. Future planning of events will help to deal with emergency crises such as medicines and the expansion of cities and towns. Security is also a policy that should be reviewed to prevent problems like impromptu attacks. Policies implemented by the government should be occasionally reviewed for them to deal with emerging issues concerning religious tourism.
In conclusion, we see that Muslims appreciate religious tourism, and they travel to different parts of the country in the belief that when they travel, they get a closer connection with God. Countries that Muslims frequently visit, such as Saudi Arabia, have benefits and challenges they face as a result of religious tourism. The governments should, therefore, plan to avoid some obstacles and also deal with emerging issues that result from religious tourism. Other religions should also embrace religious tourism because it is part of recreational activity which individuals should enjoy.
References.
Al Sudairy, J. Z. (2015). Implications of Religious Tourism Planning on Makkah Residents: A Critical Analysis of the Land Expropriation Process (Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University).
Carboni, M., & Perelli, C. (2018). “Beyond” Religious Tourism: The Case of Fez. In Global Perspectives on Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage (pp. 71-83). IGI Global.
Henderson, J. C. (2017). 13 Pilgrimage and tourism development in Saudi Arabia. International Tourism Development and the Gulf Cooperation Council States: Challenges and Opportunities, 222.