Tourism Indochina: The Middle East’s Religious Tourism Sector Values at $18 billion per Year

Tourism Indochina: The Middle East’s Religious Tourism Sector Values at $18 billion per Year

The World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) is the leading network for shaping, enriching, and expanding the $18 billion global faith tourism industry. WRTA exists to bring the worldwide trade and North American religious consumer together for the primary purpose of promoting and providing quality travel experiences around the globe. As the source and voice for the religious travel industry, WRTA provides members opportunities to network, learn, contribute, and lead. WRTA embraces all segments of faith tourism: Pilgrimages, Missionary, Cruises, Leisure Conferences, Retreats, Destinations, Attractions, Christian Camps, Family, Student/Youth, Adventure and Volunteer Vacations.

Tourism Indochina: The Middle East’s Religious Tourism Sector Values at $18 billion per Year:
(TTN:May 2009): THE Middle East’s religious tourism sector – valued at $18 billion per year - can play a decisive role in driving the region’s short term industry revenues, says Kevin J Wright, president, World Religious Travel Association (WRTA). The Middle East is already the world’s largest driver of religious travel, tourism and hospitality, with the sector fuelling the region’s current annual tourism growth of 11 per cent per annum.
However, Wright insists specialist travel providers need to develop the best possible travel experiences to leverage income from the three billion people around the world who trace their religious roots and faiths to the Middle East.

“Religious tourism is recognised as one of the most resilient markets in the travel industry,” said Wright, who will conduct a seminar entitled The New Era of Religious Tourism at ATM. “Pilgrimages are not the sole driver of the religious market anymore and people of faith are increasingly seeking greater quality travel experiences across the full spectrum of sub-sectors which drive the industry,” he said. Saudi Arabia is the market’s primary driver, with the Islamic Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages seeing the Kingdom receive over six million worshipers annually. Here the religious tourism industry generated an estimated $7billion annually. Wright also identified Jordan and Palestine as growth markets.

“Ninety five percent of tourism in Palestine is religion based, while Jordan is targeting tourism revenues of up to $2.4billion, per year, by 2010 – over 60 percent higher than income generated in 2007,” he said.

Iraq was also emerging as a serious player in the sector. Areas of religious significance, such as Najaf, already welcomes eight million pilgrims a year, but a new airport will increase inbound capacity to over 20 million. Source: TTN

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Middle East advised to focus on religious tourism sector

Industry experts are saying specialist travel operators in the Middle East should focus on capturing the potential of the religious tourism sector which is currently valued at $18 billion per year.

Currently, the majority of religious travel, tourism and hospitality, is driven by the Middle East with the sector contributing 11 percent in annual tourism growth.

However, Kevin J Wright, President of the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) says that more travel alternatives need to be developed to capture the three billion people across the globe that has religious roots in the Middle East.

“Pilgrimages are not the sole driver of the religious market anymore and people of faith are increasingly seeking greater quality travel experiences across the full spectrum of sub-sectors which drive the industry” said Wright.

Affordability is a factor that Wright believes specialist travel operators must concentrate on.

“Investment...needs to be focused on surrounding infrastructures to ensure the increased visitors experience quality services at affordable prices”

The primary driver of the religious market is Saudi Arabia with over six million Islamic Hajj and Umrah pilgrims making their way to the Kingdom each year.

“In Saudi Arabia alone the religious tourism industry generates an estimated US$7billion annually and with the market expecting 20 percent growth in the coming years, tour operators, hotels and airlines are already tailoring products to tap into the religious market”

Jordan and Palestine were identified as growth markets by Wright, with 95 percent of tourism in Palestine religion-based and Jordan aiming to garner tourism revenues of up to US$2.4billion per year by 2010.

Similarly, Iraq’s religious sector is booming with the sacred shrine of Prophet Mohammad welcoming 8 million pilgrims a year.

It is these robust revenue streams that must be tapped into in order to weather the current economic storm according to Mark Walsh, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions - Organiser of Arabian Travel Market.

“Our industry is changing and tour operators and travel companies need to examine alternative business avenues to increase profits during these challenging times” said Walsh.

“The religious tourism market is one such possibility and remains extremely relevant to Middle East based operations”

Wright will conduct a seminar entitled ‘The New Era of Religious Tourism’ at the Arabian Travel Mart in May


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