Download pdf - How effectively can the Church Administration promote the pilgrimage tourism product? A strategic marketing approach

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: [email protected] / [email protected]

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)


The 4-Ps of Porter + 5thThe 4 Ps of Porter 5

• PRODUCTPRODUCT• PLACE

PRICE• PRICE• PROMOTION

+• PEOPLEPEOPLE

(important for religious tourism)


Product• The Church of Greece

identifies 4 tourism dimensions for pilgrimage & religious sites and monumentsmonuments

1. Religious dimension2. Cultural dimension3. Historic dimension4. Environmental

dimension


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


© 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


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


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


• 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


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


– Religious, Cultural, Historic, Environmental

© CHRISTOS PETREAS 2013Thank You