Israel, Italy and Greece claimed the top three spots for religious vacations, a study by Globus and Menlo Consulting Group found. With 15.7 million adults in the U.S. likely to take a religious vacation in the future, faith-based travel in Europe is clearly on the rise.
Further, one in 10 international vacationers already have been on a religious vacation, the study revealed. But such travelers report they want variety on such trips, with a 50/50 mix of religious and non-religious activities planned on the itinerary.
“There’s no doubt that religious vacations will continue to be a booming trend in the travel industry,” said Mike Schields, director of group sales and emerging markets for the Globus family of brands. “One driving factor is how meaningful these trips can be for the traveler. Our study showed that eight in 10 past religious travelers plan to repeat the experience in the future—it’s just an incredible testament to the personal enlightenment that many have on faith-based vacations.”
Agents interested in learning more about this burgeoning trend should attend the upcoming World Religious Travel Expo, the first-ever international trade show for faith tourism, taking place October 29 through November 1, 2008 at Orlando’s Gaylord Palms Resort Hotel & Convention Center. Can’t wait that long? Learn more about the World Religious Travel Association, which is hosting the conference.
Visit www.globusjourneys.com, www.religioustravelexpo.com and www.religioustravelassociation.com.