Traveling for Faith: How Religion and Travel Shape Our World
Travel and religion go way back. Many religions require or encourage people to go on pilgrimages, which has led to the creation of sacred sites and booming travel industries around them. And, not only do these sites hold spiritual significance, they also bring in a lot of money. Millions of travellers visit religious sites each year, spending money on hotels, food, transportation, and souvenirs, all of which contribute to local economies. Religion and travel have a strong bond that's been around for centuries. It continues to shape the way we explore the world and discover new things about ourselves. Here are some figures on the economic impact of religious tourism in the four sacred places. Makkah, Saudi Arabia: The Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah generates billions of dollars for the Saudi Arabian economy each year. According to a 2018 report by Oxford Business Group, the Hajj contributed $12 billion to the Saudi economy in 2017. In addition, the Umrah, a smaller pilgrimage to Makkah ...