Visitors’ diversified motivations and behavior – the case of the pilgrimage center in Krakow (Poland)

ABSTRACT

The article presents the visitors’ motivations and behavior at the pilgrimage center in Krakow (Poland). Here, the relation between these elements, i.e. whether their motivations have a correlation with what buildings they visit, is emphasized for the first time. The most important motivations for visits were religious and tourist ones, often rated equally high by the same respondents. They visited religious, cultural and tourist buildings and facilities. The stay of visitors with religious motivations was not limited to religious practices, but was extended by tourist behavior. Similarly, visitors with tourist motivations visited religious buildings and participated in religious practices. However, they visit tourist and cultural facilities more often. Additionally, the three groups of respondents were categorized and, on the basis of importance of the religious and tourist motivations, three types were distinguished, i.e. pilgrims, religious tourists and tourists. Their characteristic has been expanded by the analysis of their behavior. Nowadays, visitors’ motivations and behavior at pilgrimage centers include those typical for pilgrims and tourists in the traditional meaning. In addition to their religious function, these sites offer cultural and tourist facilities. The article highlights the dedifferentiation approach to visitors’ motivations and behavior, and in respect of the spatial organization of pilgrimage centers.

KEYWORDS:

• Dedifferentiation approach
• religious tourism
• motivations
• pilgrimage center
• Poland

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Based on interviews with the respondents. These are mostly people coming in organized groups. Their stay is often connected with a visit to the Sanctuary of St. John Paul II (approx. 70% of the respondents).

2 Based on interviews with the respondents.

3 Based on interviews with the respondents.

4 As the previous footnote.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University [project number K/DSC/003018, K/DSC/004014].