Spiritual Tourism: An Indian Context

Abstract

India is a country with rich heritage and religious tradition. Every year millions of people travel to pilgrimage destinations in India. The number goes up especially during religious months likewise, makkar sankranti, navratra, new year, diwali etc. The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) reports that foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) increased by 7.7 per cent in April 2024 to 6,50,748 from 6,03,985 in April 2023. India rose from 54th place in 2021 to 39th place out of 119 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Index report 2024. In India, people frequently travel on spiritual journey in order to connect with a god or fulfil a vow. The desire to discover more about a specific religion or culture, or the need to feel refreshed and at peace, can also serve as driving forces behind spiritual tourism. The paper aims to evaluate the current state of spiritual tourism in India. It also examines the strengths and weakness.