Assessing Religious Tourism Motivational Factors and Experiences of Visitors to Selected Religious Sites in Camarines Sur, Philippines

摘要

In recent years, pilgrimage is considered as one of the growing activities of people in the world. In the Philippines, the presence of numerous religious sites and activities makes it more significant in promoting pilgrimage or religious tourism most particularly in Bicol region where the home of Ina popularly known as Our Lady of Virgin Pe?afrancia is located. Along this, it is deemed important to further understand the intentions and behaviors of religious travelers. Hence, this paper assessed the religious tourism motivational factors (religious and secular) and experiences of visitors to selected sacred sites using a descriptive method of research. It was found that religious motives significantly prevail as very important factors for visitors to set out on journey in comparison to secular motives which is regarded as not very important travel motivator towards religious sites. This indicates that religious visitors of the destination are motivated due to their intrinsic spiritual desire such as satisfaction of religious convictions and fulfillment of religious curiosity (faith and practice). Their experiences were mainly observed for spiritual participation (religious) rather than for tourism activity (secular). Therefore, it is very important to put balance between visitors who came for religious and secular motives, thus recognizing the vital roles among churches’ administrators and a regional tourism organization is necessary.