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Religious Tourism and PilgrimageReligious Tourism and Pilgrimage 5th Expert Conference
Malta – June 2013
«How effectively can the Church Administration promote the pilgrimage tourism product? p p g g p
A strategic marketing approach»[Learnings from the practices of the Synodical Office for
Pilgrimage Tours of the Church of Greece]Pilgrimage Tours of the Church of Greece]
Christos Petreas,Business & Tourism Economist - Consultant –
EU Expert for tourism and regional developmentSpecial Advisor Synodical Office for Pilgrimage Tours and
Development of Religious Tourism of The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA© CHRISTOS PETREAS 2010
former Professor - Lecturer of tourism planning & development and tourism marketinge-mail: christos@petreas-associates.com / chrispetreas@gmail.com
Why religious tourism?Why religious tourism?• More than 2/3 (88%) of the
monuments of the World Heritage List have also religious significancehave also religious significance (Shackley 2001)
• Approximately 75% of all inhabitants of the planet belong to the 5 most i t t li iimportant religions
• TWO out of THREE belong in one of only THREE religions
• The WRTA argues that the market isThe WRTA argues that the market is worth ~ $ 18 billion and handle 300 million passengers
• Lourdes is the most visited shrine in Europe and receives over 6 millionEurope and receives over 6 million visitors each year
• The Catholic Church has established a company for "Religious» Charter
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
The typology of religious-pilgrimage t i ( t ld)tourism (western world)
• Pilgrimage tours Mi i i• Missionary trips
• Cruises (Greece – in October “Steps of Apostle Paul”)• Conferences / meetings (15 million people in 17,000 meetings in
2006)2006)• Christian camps (involving 120,000 churches)• Travel holiday volunteers (55 million Americans have participated)• Youth / student movements (about 3 million young people are ( y g p p
attending about10,000 private church schools)
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA© CHRISTOS PETREAS 2010
The 4-Ps of Porter + 5thThe 4 Ps of Porter 5
• PRODUCTPRODUCT• PLACE
PRICE• PRICE• PROMOTION
+• PEOPLEPEOPLE
(important for religious tourism)
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA© CHRISTOS PETREAS 2013
Product• The Church of Greece
identifies 4 tourism dimensions for pilgrimage & religious sites and monumentsmonuments
1. Religious dimension2. Cultural dimension3. Historic dimension4. Environmental
dimension
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
Place and the way it is perceivedand the way it is perceived ...
• Pilgrimage visitDedicated pilgrimage– Dedicated pilgrimage
– Incidental pilgrimage• Cultural visit
N t l it– Natural site– Monumental visit– Historical visit
A t i it– Art visit– Museum visit– Combination visit
• Religious celebrations and events– Celebrations with pilgrimage element– Celebrations with traditional element
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
© COPYRIGHT CHRISTOS PETREAS– Celebrations with entertainment element
• Combination visit
Price• ... The cost is really
secondary but is ansecondary, but is an important consideration…PRICE is related to:
• Transport and ibilitaccessibility
• AccommodationM l d th t• Meals and other support facilities
• Faith element
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
Faith element
Promotion• The religious “attraction”
must be recognizedmust be recognized, and must appeal to one or more of the “needs” of the visitor
• The element of “branding”:“branding”:• As a tourist destination• As a religious site• As an “event” location• As a “faith” pole• All of the above
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
All of the above
Peoplep• People are from all the
stakeholders involved:• Authorities religious and political,
tourism stakeholders, support entities, the local society, y
People:• “Facilitate” the visit and the• Facilitate the visit and the
experience• Assist the veneration an the
worshipworship• Perfrom the relevant religious
servicesP id th i d i
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
• Provide the required services
Promotion activities (examples)Promotion activities (examples)
• PRODUCT • PROMOTION:PRODUCT– Creation of pilgrimage
tours
PROMOTION:– Exhibitions– Specialized
• PLACE:– Collaboration with
th iti d t i
ppromotional material
– Internet promotionauthorities and tourism professionals
• PRICE:
• PEOPLE:– Special Diocese
Liaisons• PRICE:– Collaboration with tour
operators & travel
Liaisons– Permission for joint
religious services
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
agents© CHRISTOS PETREAS 2010
INDICATIVE ITINERARIES*• Typical
• Non typical
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA*exodos travel & congress (c) 2012
The relationship of the stakeholders h t ll hwhat really happens Visitor permits / visas
Road networkOverall accessibilitySignageSignageTransportOverall promotion
L l ibiliLocal accessibilityInformation / promotionFacilitation of visitors
THE RELIGIOUS OBJECTIVE
Visitation hoursVisit organizationVisitable areasDress code
Protection / maintenanceVisit guidanceSaleable items / souvenirs
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA © CHRISTOS PETREAS 2013
The Methodology – or how to do itgy
a. Joint collaboration of stakeholders
b. Field research –Questionnaire to travel agents
c. Field research –Questionnaire to visitorsvisitors
d. Strategic partnershipsP ti l ti iti
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA © COPYRIGHT CHRISTOS PETREAS 2013
e. Promotional activities
The “collaboration” areasThe collaboration areas• “Product information” (religious and
non-religious)non religious)• Market information (what the customer
wants)• Facilitation of the visit itself (access,
authorities, regulations, time schedules, etc )etc.)
• Obtaining the blessing – “the spiritual element”
• Overall enhancement of the “package” 4 dimensions:
Religious Cultural Historic Environmental
2013 ATLAS RELIGIOUS TOURISM CONFERENCE – MALTA
– Religious, Cultural, Historic, Environmental
© CHRISTOS PETREAS 2013Thank You