Faith and tourism: planning tourism in relation to places of worship

Abstract

Tourist activity at religious sites represents an important source of income for many faith institutions and organisations, generating funds for repairs and maintenance. Tourism can also act as a catalyst for economic development in the wider destination, creating jobs and supporting local businesses. However, not all religious sites are locations able to accommodate large numbers of visitors at one time, or are able to resolve some of the conflicts that arise from non-religious use of faith buildings. A review of planning and management solutions used at a number of sites associated with world religions to tackle the pressures of tourism activity reveals the importance of an holistic approach to urban planning on the one hand, and the importance of micro-level management responses that reflect local cultural traditions and market realities. Case studies include a number of UK cathedral towns, the Sacred City of Kandy, Sri Lanka and the Holy City of Makkah in Saudi Arabia.