Spiritual tourism: understandings, perspectives, discernment, and synthesis

Abstract

The prolific and increasing number of academic studies concerned with spiritual tourism echoes humans’ enduring quest for spirituality through travel and the entanglement of many destinations in this unique form of social activity. Yet, what we know about spiritual tourism remains equivocal and unsynthesized. This critical review, followed by a thematic analysis offers a comprehensive and rigorous overview of the nexus between spirituality and tourism. It codifies how contemporary researchers understand, theorize and study this social phenomenon, allowing us to provide an in-depth comprehension and synthesis of spiritual tourism. The significance of this study rests in its scope and capacity to inform tourism scholars working in the fields of sociology, management, psychology, and theology.