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Spiritual Tourism : Spiritual Needs In The Global Tourism Industry

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Spiritual tourism
Spiritual tourism has been becoming a genuine concern in the global tourism industry and spirituality has become a major driver for tourism in some contexts (Timothy 2006, Attix 2015). More and more forms of tourism are recognised as part of spiritual tourism (Timothy and Olsen 2006, Timothy 2006, Collins-Kreiner 2010, Norman 2011). The value of spiritual tourism is prominent, namely an antidote to new and longstanding geopolitical, historical and cultural aggravations and apprehensions; a soothing balm against religious intolerance (Cheer, Belhassen et al. 2017); a vehicle for global understanding among peoples (UNWTO 2013); a potentially potent force for the promotion of global peace and understanding (D'Amore 1998); a leverage for sustainable development through respect for nature, overcoming of cultural stereotypes and providing the locals with new economic flows (Nguyen 2013) and among others. UNWTO (2013) states that: “the cultural exchange and dialogue evoked by spiritual tourism are the very cornerstones of mutual understanding, tolerance and respect, the fundamental building blocks of sustainability”.
Every human is a spiritual being (Hardy 1979, Benjamin and Looby 1998, Marra 2000, Timothy 2006), but not all human being are religious. Oldnall (1996) claims that every person has spiritual needs- the search for meaning, purpose, connection and transcendence within life (Butts 1999, Emmons 2000, Piedmont 2001, Tanyi 2002, Schulz 2005) - regardless of

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