Islamic tourism is not purely motivated by religion; it also includes participants pursuing similar leisure experiences to non-Muslims, within the parameters set by Islam. Destinations are therefore not necessarily locations where Shari’a or full Islamic law is enforced.
Demand for Islamic tourism destinations is increasing as the Muslim population expands, with the market forecast to be worth around US$238 billion. This book explores the ever-widening gap between the religious, tourism, management and education sectors. It provides practical applications, models and illustrations of religious tourism and pilgrimage management from a variety of international perspectives, and introduces theories and models in an accessible structure. The book:
– Includes a range of contemporary case studies of religious and pilgrimage activities.
– Covers ancient, sacred and emerging tourist destinations.
– Reviews new forms of pilgrimage, faith systems and quasi-religious activities.
This book offers an engaging assessment of the linkages and interconnections between Muslim consumers and the places they visit. It provides an important analysis for researchers of religious tourism, pilgrimage and related subjects.
A propos de l’auteur
Alfonso Vargas-Sánchez is the promoter and Editor-in-Chief of Enlightening Tourism: A Pathmaking Journal (ET) launched in 2011 and indexed in many repositories and scientific databases. Dr. Vargas-Sánchez’s main research interests are in the Strategic Management discipline and in the tourism industry, both in companies and in destinations. At present, he is a full professor at the University of Huelva, where he has been distinguished with the 2002/2003 Teaching Excellence Diploma, and the 2006/2007 Teaching Excellence & Quality Award as a member of an online teaching group. Since 2004 he heads the Research Group named ‘Innovation and Development Strategies in Tourist Firms’ (GEIDETUR), included in the Andalusian Government’s Plan of R&D&I. Prof. Vargas-Sánchez has carried out academic activities, both in researching and teaching, in different Universities and higher education institutions around the world, in the five continents. Nowadays, he serves as Visiting Professor in the UK at the York St John Business School and the School of Business and Entrepreneurship of the RAU (where in addition he is a member of its Advisory Board), and in the University of the Algarve (Portugal), where he also is invited researcher and has been member of its General Council. Additionally, he collaborates with the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education, in Portugal, as external expert. He has served in several positions in the University of Huelva, where he is Full Professor, but in addition he leads the Spanish-Portuguese Network of Researchers on Tourism (REINTUR).