Recovery Strategies to Sustain Religious Tourism Post-COVID-19: Evidence from Iran

Religious tourism, as one of the most significant types of tourism, is among the most seriously affected economic sectors worldwide as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This study sought to identify and prioritise the strategies for sustaining post-COVID-19 religious tourism. The stud...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The international journal of religious tourism and pilgrimage
Authors: Bagheri, Moslem (Author) ; Mobasheri, Ali Asghar (Author) ; Nikbakht, Amin (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Dublin Institute of Technology 2022
In: The international journal of religious tourism and pilgrimage
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Iran / COVID-19 (Disease) / Pandemic / Coping / Pilgrimage / Spiritual tourism / Tourismusmarketing
RelBib Classification:AG Religious life; material religion
BJ Islam
KBL Near East and North Africa
ZA Social sciences
Further subjects:B R-SWARA technique
B coronavirus pandemic
B post-COVID-19 future
B Religious Tourism
B Systematic literature review
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Religious tourism, as one of the most significant types of tourism, is among the most seriously affected economic sectors worldwide as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This study sought to identify and prioritise the strategies for sustaining post-COVID-19 religious tourism. The study was an applied survey that drew on a mixed research design. The results of the qualitative data analysis obtained through a systematic literature review revealed that the recovery strategies to boost businesses in the field of religious tourism in the post-COVID-19 future could be divided into four main strategies (dimensions) and 24 sub-strategies (criteria). Furthermore, the quantitative analysis, conducted through the R-SWARA technique, showed that ‘making it mandatory to maintain a distance from sacred monuments (e.g., tombs) and prohibiting touching or having any physical contact with such monuments’, ‘Understanding religious tourists’ health-related expectations’, ‘making it mandatory to use masks and other health-related equipment in sacred/religious locations’, and ‘reducing the capacity for welcoming tourists in sacred and tourism sites while holding religious ceremonies with a small number of attendants’ were the most significant strategies that could boost religious tourism post-COVID-19. These factors were prioritised by experts and activists in the industry who shared their opinions in this study.
ISSN:2009-7379
Contains:Enthalten in: The international journal of religious tourism and pilgrimage