Buad 206 De Research Proposal Samples

Research Paper Proposal

Research Paper Proposal

Introduction

There are diverse types of tourism that has been observed to gain popularity in contemporary times. The religious and pilgrim tourism is one of the types of tourism that have consistently exhibited increasing trends in popularity . As revealed, “the global religious travel market is a nearly $20 billion-per-year industry, with trips of the spirit in a strong period of ascendancy”. Aside from travelling to mystical places with religious underpinnings, one has observed that visits of popular religious figures, like the Pope, could stir tourist attractions to the schedule destination. In Pope Francis’ recent visit to the Philippines, news reports disclosed that the mass in Manila drew close to seven (7) million people, deemed to be the largest in papal events . In this regard, one contends that papal visits to foreign countries provide significant impetus for driving religious tourism which paves the way for economic growth.
In the book written by Stausberg (2011) examined the influence of religion in tourism, and vise versa. Likewise, the ethereal appeal of sacred places were noted to be prompting strategies to encourage tourism in specifically identified places. As acknowledged, “some places are more special (perhaps sacred) than others, and this is the core of the intimate relationship between human beings, place and travel, and religion” (Norman & Cusack: Description, 2015, par. 1).
Concurrently, ever since Pope Francis has been elected as the Supreme Pontiff, news around the world attested to his charismatic appeal for driving people to places where he plans to visit. In an article entitled “Argentine Jesuit as pope spurs mission tourism in Brazil”, the report specifically stipulated that “the election of Argentine Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio as pope has revitalized tourists' interest in the ruins of Jesuit missions in the borderlands between Argentina and Brazil” (EFE, 2015, par. 1). In addition, in the anticipated visit of Pope Francis to Washington, DC in September of 2015, Niedt & Cooper (2015) indicated that there are prospects for increasing regional tourism based on the experience with Pope Benedict’s visit in 2008. As averred, the Pope’s visit could potentially increase booking in hotels in the area and invite people from faraway states to get a glimpse of the Pope.
In another light, the case study presented by Pourtaheri, Rahmani, & Ahmadi (2012), the authors explored the impact of religious tourism on rural and economic development. The findings confirmed that religious tourism facilitates economic growth in rural areas where religious and sacred sites attract tourists. As emphasized, “tourism is an option for enhancing rural lifestyles and for inducing positive changes in the distribution of income in underprivileged regions” . In addition, local folks find sources of livelihood in sacred sites pegged as religious travel destinates and enable job creation. Likewise, recognition of the local and national government of the relevance of preserving and maintaining the religious sites in pristine condition ensure that funds are continually earmarked for economic progress and development.

Conclusion

The case studies affirmed that papal visits have immense attracting power to stir religious tourism and eventually enable economic progress. The research and case studies validate the veracity of one’s contentions and supports the thesis statement effectively.

References

EFE. (2015, January 19). Argentine Jesuit as pope spurs mission tourism in Brazil. Retrieved January 28, 2015, from foxnews.com: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/01/19/argentine-jesuit-as-pope-spurs-mission-tourism-in-brazil/
Niedt, B., & Cooper, R. (2015, January 20). Pope Francis is coming to D.C. Here's what we know. Retrieved January 27, 2015, from Washington Business Journal: http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2015/01/20/pope-francis-is-coming-to-d-c-heres-what-we-know.html?page=all
Norman, A., & Cusack, C. (2015). Religion, Pilgrimage, and Tourism. Routledge.
Pourtaheri, M., Rahmani, K., & Ahmadi, H. (2012). Impacts of Religious and Pilgrimage Tourism in Rural Areas: The Case of Iran. Journal of Geography and Geology, Vol. 4, No. 3, 122-129.
Pullella, P., & Francisco, R. (2015, January 18). Pope Manila Mass drew record crowd of 6-7 million: Vatican. Retrieved January 27, 2015, from Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/18/us-pope-philippines-idUSKBN0KQ0TX20150118
Stausberg, M. (2011). Religion and Tourism: Crossroads, Destinations, and Encounters. New York: Routledge.
The Independent Traveler, Inc. (2015). Religious Tours and Spiritual Travel. Retrieved January 28, 2015, from independenttraveler.com: http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/none/religious-tours-and-spiritual-travel