Religious Tourism Market Report 2024

This Religious Tourism market report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market’s historic and forecast market growth by geography.

The religious tourism market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $161.51 billion in 2023 to $174.98 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.3%. The increase in religious tourism over the historic period can be attributed to several factors such as the rise of spiritual consumers, a growing interest in religious heritage and pilgrimage sites, the expansion of religious tourism infrastructure and services, government initiatives and promotional campaigns, and an increase in disposable income.

The religious tourism market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $243.54 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. The anticipated growth during the forecast period can be attributed to several factors such as increased interest in spirituality and well-being, a rise in international travel, greater consumer awareness of travel destinations, affordable air travel, population growth, and a heightened demand for specialized faith-based travel packages and tours. Key trends expected during this period include advancements in transportation infrastructure and connectivity, the integration of technology into religious tourism experiences, a focus on sustainable tourism practices, new product launches, and the expansion of online booking systems.

The increasing interest in spirituality and well-being is projected to drive the growth of the religious tourism market in the future. Spirituality and well-being involve a holistic integration of physical, mental, and emotional health, alongside a sense of purpose, connection, and inner peace. This growing interest can be linked to various factors, including psychological benefits, health-related behaviors, social connections, and eudaimonic well-being. Religious tourism supports this trend by providing opportunities for individuals to engage in meaningful spiritual practices, gain deeper insights into their faith, and achieve personal growth and inner peace through sacred journeys and pilgrimages. For example, in 2022, data from the United States Department of State revealed that 46.2% of the population in England and Wales identifies as Christian, with 6.5% identifying as Muslim, 1.7% as Hindu, 0.9% as Sikh, 0.5% as Jewish, and 0.5% as Buddhist. This increasing popularity of spirituality and well-being has thus contributed to the expansion of the religious tourism market.

Leading companies in the religious tourism sector are focusing on innovative solutions, such as spiritual tourism platforms, to offer comprehensive travel planning, booking services, and personalized spiritual experiences for religious travelers. These platforms are specialized services designed to facilitate travel experiences centered on spiritual growth, wellness, and connections to sacred or serene environments. For instance, in October 2023, EaseMyTrip, an India-based travel company, launched the EasyDarshan platform, dedicated to spiritual tourism in India. This platform offers curated pilgrimage packages to revered sites such as temples, gurudwaras, churches, and mosques, simplifying travel logistics with packages that include transportation, accommodation, guided tours, and special pujas. It features a range of destinations, from peaceful southern temples to serene Himalayan shrines, with a focus on safety and sanitation to ensure secure and convenient spiritual journeys for all travelers.

In September 2024, Yatra, an India-based travel services provider, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Globe All India Services (Globe Travels) for $15.25 million. This acquisition strengthens Yatra’s position as a leader in the Indian corporate travel market, boosting its growth prospects by expanding both its geographic reach and service offerings. With increasing competition in the online travel industry, this strategic acquisition enables Yatra to tap into emerging opportunities within corporate travel. Globe Travels, based in India, specializes in corporate travel services and has a significant presence in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.

Major companies operating in the religious tourism market are Booking Holdings Inc., Expedia Group, Frosch International Travel, Insight Vacations Inc, Viator Inc., Travel Leaders Group, Kesari Tours Pvt Ltd., Collette Travel Service Inc., Exoticca, Corporate Travel Management Ltd., G Adventures Inc., Odynovo Tours, Trafalgar, AAA Travel, Gil Travel Group, Holy Voyages Pvt Ltd., JTB Americas Group, Ovation Travel Group, Heritage Tours & Travels LLC, Holy Land Tours.

Middle East was the largest region in the religious tourism market in 2023. Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the religious tourism market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

The countries covered in the religious tourism market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Religious tourism, also known as faith tourism, involves traveling to locations of religious importance. This type of travel is typically driven by the desire to engage in religious activities such as pilgrimages, attending religious festivals, visiting sacred sites, or participating in spiritual retreats.

The primary religious tourism can be categorized into domestic and international travel. Domestic religious tourism refers to traveling within one’s own country to visit religiously significant or sacred sites. Various religions, including Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Hinduism, and Islam, are represented in this form of tourism, with travelers spanning different age groups such as below 30 years, 30-40 years, 40-50 years, and above 50 years. These trips are booked through various sales channels, including both offline and online methods.

The religious tourism market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides religious tourism market statistics, including religious tourism industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a religious tourism market share, detailed religious tourism market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the religious tourism industry. This religious tourism market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The religious tourism market includes revenues earned by entities by providing pilgrimage trips and tours, accommodations, and yoga classes. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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