Religious Tourism
The other day I came across yet another label used to denote different types of tourism.
To add to Recreational Tourism, Beach Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Extreme Tourism, EcoTourism, Responsible Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Historical Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Archaeological Tourism, Mountain Tourism, Agricultural Tourism, Industrial Tourism, Military Tourism, Sports Tourism, Health Tourism, Dental Tourism, Culinary Tourism, Music Tourism, Luxury Tourism, Elite Tourism, Trophy Tourism, Space Tourism, Cruises, LGBT Tourism, Gay Tourism, Shop Tourism, Sex Tourism, Dark Tourism, and Religious Tourism and yet others came Disaster Tourism, (visiting places like post Katrina New Orleans, flood-hit Thailand, volcanic ash in Iceland – they all represent places of disaster and suffering for many people, but for some reason they are all becoming popular tourist attractions.)
Shortly after our two revolutions, (March 25th, 2005 and April 7th, 2010), there was some talk about providing Revolution Tours – and there was a spoof proposal which included tourists storming the White House – but these were relegated to the little round filing cabinet on the floor as being of doubtful taste.
On the other hand, not long ago I was approached with a request for sponsorship for a new book on tourism in Kyrgyzstan, in particular about Religious Tourism in Kyrgyzstan.
For the record: Religious Tourism is often called Faith Tourism and describes where people of faith travel for religious reasons, such as: pilgrimage, missionary, retreats or fellowship. Although there are no definitive statistics on the subject, it is estimated that over 300 million people visit the world’s major religious sites each year. Perhaps the foremost example is the Hajj, when millions of Moslems make a pilgrimage to Mecca, but there are plenty of other examples.
I came across this reference the other day: “… faith-based tourism has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry, being only overcome by adventure tourism.“
Wow! Maybe I should look into this further!
I was intrigued. One of authors had recently published another tome, a textbook for students of Tourism about the tourist industry in Kyrgyzstan. It was a very good book, and a very large book, which covered many topics and collected together lots of useful and valuable information, and it suggested that, if it was up to the same standard, this book would also be a useful contribution to the literature. In the west there are a lot of books on tourism, and although there are some available in Russian, there aren’t that many that relate specifically to Kyrgyzstan. I have seen several examples of course materials from other countries which have been adapted for use in Kyrgyz classrooms and lecture rooms, however, they always raise questions in my mind about how appropriate they are.
Here was a volume which looked at a particular theme and, if one of a series exploring different aspects of the tourism industry in the republic, could be a useful resource for libraries, teachers and students alike. Given that some of the material would be general, giving a background and overall context, the fact that it had examples drawn from Kyrgyzstan seemed to an immediacy and relevance that other volumes might lack.
I looked at an early draft with a critical interest, as a former teacher of Religious Education as well as the Director of a tour company. To be honest, I wasn’t convinced that Religious Tourism was a major segment of the industry, and perhaps other topics might have presented themselves as more obvious choice for such a series, (for example: Adventure Tourism or Recreational Tourism on Lake Issyk Kul), but to be fair, some books on these topics do already exist. However, there was still a lot of interesting information in the text and I felt it would wider application than just “Religious Tourism”.
After all, many of the tour itineraries in Kyrgyzstan include visiting the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Bishkek or the Orthodox Church and Dungan Mosque in Karakol. Many of the tours in Kyrgyzstan are classified as Silk Road tours because they follow the path of this ancient network of trading routes. Silk, however, was just one of the commodities which was traded along this route and it wasn’t just travelled by traders, but also by a variety of different sorts of peoples, all of whom brought with them their own cultures and religions. In addition to Orthodox Christianity and Islam, in Kyrgyzstan there are is evidence of Shamanism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Nestorianism, Manichaeism, Roman Catholicism, Protestant Churches, Mennonites, Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Sufism and many more religious groups. Indeed, it has been argued that the Great Silk Road could just as easily been called the Road of Ideas,
The Ruh Ordo complex in Cholpon Ata is dedicated to the principal of celebrating the religions of the Silk Road, and every year there is a “New Age” festival of lights held on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul. There are only sites which attract pilgrims, but Svetly Mys, (the reputed burial site of the evangelist Saint Matthew), and Suleiman Too in Osh are prime examples.
The book brings together a wealth of information from a variety of sources and includes information not easily found elsewhere. For example, it has some information about Shamanism which I haven’t found elsewhere. It begins with a general chapter which considers the nature of religion and the place of religion in Kyrgyzstan from an Historical, Sociological and Cultural perspective. Then there is a chapter about Religious Tourism which is followed by a chapter dedicated to the potential for Religious Tourism in Kyrgyzstan which gives details about many of the sites of interest and giving some examples of itineraries.
To be honest, I didn’t find it an easy read and I doubt if it will be either a best seller or prize winner.
Not an easy read? Well, It’s in Russian and written very definitely in an academic style, (which is understandable because it’s meant to be a text book). For example, for students there are questions to be thought about and answered and also an extensive list of resources for further research.
On the other hand, it will be useful reference book which, I am sure, won’t just sit on my bookshelf, but will be taken down and thumbed through from time to time, especially when I am preparing a postcard or two.
It’s been well reviewed by academics and received approval for use in courses by the Ministry of Education and a number of universities. I doubt if any university will be offering a course which majors in Religious Tourism, but it may be that a module or two may be introduced in the future now that there is some specific material which can be used and, anyway, the volume will be a useful resource in any course on tourism here in Kyrgyzstan.
The book is finally printed and is about to be presented at a “round table” in one of the universities, tonight
Of course, Religion is about Faith and Beliefs and Philosophy is about ideas. Different people have different beliefs and ideas concerning questions about “Life, The Universe and Everything”, Although it’s a common feature of many religions that they have the exclusive and absolute truth (perhaps Bahai being the exception to this rule), the authors represent different views and have adopted an inclusive approach which is not proselytizing but both, presents factual information and encourages the reader to think and question.
Bishkek