Welcome to a New Era
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “religious travel?” If you’re like most of us, four thoughts probably come to the forefront: niche market, budget travel, pilgrimages, and seniors.
If you hold the above four perceptions of religious tourism, you would be considered “cutting edge” of this industry… in 1975. Yes – that’s right. If you think of religious travel as a niche market of budget pilgrimages for seniors, you are thirty years behind the curve.
Now, let me bring you up to date. Today religious travel, tourism, and hospitality is a dynamic $18-billion global industry with 300 million travelers. In North America alone, it is estimated at $10 billion. The Travel Industry Association of America reported last November that one in four travelers are currently interested in “spiritual vacations.” The appeal spans the ages with approximately one-third of each age group (18-34, 35-54, and 55+) expressing interest in taking such a vacation. And according to some reports, more than 50,000 churches and religious organizations host travel programs. Few other travel industry segments can boast such impressive numbers.
But that’s not all. In the past three decades, people of faith have changed their spending habits and today purchase first-class products and services. Just think of it as this: first-class travel is in, budget travel is out.
And now, possibly the biggest story of all. Religious tourism in the 21st century no longer constitutes only pilgrimage and missionary travel; rather, in the modern-world it embraces the following twelve vacation segments:
* Pilgrimages
* Missionary
* Cruises
* Leisure/getaways
* Conferences/conventions
* Destinations/attractions
* Retreats/guesthouses
* Christian camps
* Adventure/active
* Volunteer vacations
* Student/youth
* Family/intergenerational
By Kevin Wright
Courtesy of grouptravelblog.com
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