Have your recent travels left you feeling unfulfilled? Are the Gothic cathedrals that once captured your heart no longer providing the spiritual sustenance they once did? Does the ho-hum sight of yet another Madonna and Child portrait have you crying “What else is there?” and begging for a sign from above? Perhaps it’s time to open your heart. You won’t be alone.
The global religious travel market is a nearly $20 billion-per-year industry, with trips of the spirit in a strong period of ascendancy (with a velocity and trajectory destined to blast through the firmament). Millions of the faithful, the skeptical or the curious among us are embarking on journeys to the world’s most mystically imbued places. Be it a weekend stay at a working Buddhist monastery, an excursion to discover your Native American spirit animal or a two-week living Bible trip with your local congregation, flocks of people are integrating their travel experiences with a spiritual bent.
Is a religious trip right for you? Spend some time meditating on our piece, and don’t forget to offer your own tips and ideas for spiritual travel.
The Pilgrim: Who’s Going
“Meaningful,” “spiritual” and “religious” travel may be little more than modern catch phrases, but travelers have been making pilgrimages throughout history. From time immemorial, religious travel has about celebrating and solidifying one’s faith, by means of fellowship, charity, mindfulness, solitude, whatever! In the 16th century, Spanish Jesuits traveled to Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina to establish missions among the native people (though it must be said that their colonial pursuits were ultimately unwelcomed; the Jesuits were expelled in the mid-18th century). Buddhist hermits made the journey to spend long periods in caves staring reflectively at their navels. As part of coming-of-age rites, many African tribes sent their young males off on “spirit quests”; often painful or frightening, this initiation into adulthood was nonetheless a necessary trip.
Though the stakes might not be as high today — risking life and limb to cross the Atlantic and set up shop among a potentially hostile people — religious travel forges on. Modern church/synagogue/mosque group trips are omnipresent, whether in the form of volunteer vacations or visits to holy sites.
Major tour packagers and operators have realized the benefits (read: potential profits) of offering faith-geared tours. Templeton Tours, a Christian tour company, provides land and cruise travel to Alaska, Hawaii, the Holy Land and more. On their cruises, no alcohol is served, the casino is replaced with a Christian bookstore and gospel groups provide evening entertainment. Globus, one of the world’s largest tour operators, has a section devoted to faith-based travel; its itineraries include a “Turkey & the Book of Revelation” package and an “England’s Christian Heritage” tour. Vacations to Go, a travel package consolidator, offers significant discounts on religious tours for groups such as church congregations.
For travelers who don’t consider themselves religious, the reasons for taking a spiritually grounded trip are more broadly academic. Many independent-minded travelers are fascinated by the prospect of exploring the cultural and historical traditions of an ancient place. Even absent true belief, the stunning drip-tower roofs of Angkor Wat or the Aboriginal creation story tied to Australia’s Ayers Rock inspire a sense of reverence. And modern tourist infrastructure makes accessing these places — whatever your purpose — easier than ever.
