Trend: Spiritual Tourism

Trend: Spiritual Tourism

Written By Josefine Koehn on Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 1:06 AM In Lifestyle Trends, USA
People are looking for “vacations with a meaning”.

Trend Description:Spa Tourism has come a long way. As we pointed out in our recent coverage of Intensive Spas which cater to medical tourism, dental spas or people looking to network while being pampered.

Spiritual tourism adds to this development of people looking for a meaning while on vacation. The growing individualism of our society, and the loss of common traditions have combined to further the need to find something deeper and more meaningful. Bookstores are full of literature about self-healing, Buddhism or esoteric subjects. Now people are also starting to use their vacation to search for this new kind of inner peace. According to Perry Garfinkel, author of “Buddha or Bust”, spiritual tourism is now one of the fastest growing segments in the travel industry worldwide, although it also might be one of the oldest forms of tourism, with Muslims traveling to Mecca, Sikhs visiting the Golden Temple and Christians and Jews visiting the Holy Land. Anyway: 25 percent of the respondents to a survey by the Travel Industry Association are interested in spiritual vacations. And up to 40 percent of people going to spas now look for some type of spiritual experience.

Cases:

Ananda SpaThis luxury Spa in the Himalayas, which once was the residence of Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal offers, besides 79 different body and beauty treatments, spiritual enlightment. Spa visitors can not only explore the surrounding national parks and sign up for private golf lessons, but also practice the principles of Vedanta, the technique of combining dynamic action with perfect peace and happiness. Visitors can visit the holy Indian towns of Rishikesh and Haridwar, and may even get to feel the aura of Ma Anandamayi, the renowned propitiator of universal love who once visited the former palace.

KripaluAccording to its website “Kripalu Center is an institution where people can come to discover what it means to be fully human and fully alive”. Located in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, Kripalu offers retreats of every length, from single classes to whole rejuvenating vacations. In addition to yoga, ayurveda, message, meditation and other health and wellness classes, Kripalu also offers many possibilities to enhance the internal spirit, including Reiki, the Zen of Asian Brush Painting, Buddhism classes, Chakra journeys and Dancing the internal body. According to an article in the New York Times, the number of guests has increased by 20 percent since 2003, to 30,000 a year.

Journeys of the Spirit‘Journeys of the Spirit’ is a travel agency specializing in spiritual journeys and retreats all over the world, including Arizona, Peru, Mexico, Egypt and Vietnam. The idea behind the journeys is to “discover, experience and transform”. While visiting sacred sites, travelers have the chance to attend classes, rituals and ceremonies. Further yoga and meditation practice is provided. The goal is to transform the teaching of different religions and esoteric philosophies, including Toltec, Buddhism, Judaism, Hindu, Sufi and Christian, into a concrete tool to create a “life of joy, enlightenment and unconditional love”.

Voices of the AncientTravelers are supposed to learn to listen to the “Voices of the Ancient”. While traveling in Botswana they will get taught the things a Bushman had to know to survive: how to find water, how to make a fire, which roots and plants are good to eat, and which are good for medical purposes, how to make and use bow and arrow, spear and traps. Ritual healing dances with Shamans are also part of this spiritual adventure.

Sedona Metaphysical and Spiritual AssociationThe Sedona Metaphysical Spiritual Association is affiliated to the Chamber of Commerce in Sedona, Arizona. The goal is to promote the spiritual aspects of the region and therefore increase the tourism sector. Similar approaches are used by the ministry of tourism and culture in India and other tourism organizations in Asian countries, marketing spiritual tourism via international meetings and conferences.

Trend Impact:There are many different forms of Spiritual Tourism: Yoga retreats, weekends at New Age spas, spiritual adventures and journeys to sacred places, meditation camps or even trips focused on astrology and mythology. Single Spas and whole regions profit from this rediscovered approach to adventurous travel experiences. And the journey is not about to end: Since the baby boomer generation of “Lonely Planet” travelers has grown older, they are now looking for individual adventures which also provide the comfort or organized tours or spa treatments.
Ananda
Kripalu
Journeys of the Spirit
Voices of the Ancient
Sedona Metaphysical and Spiritual Association
Thanks to the Buddhist Channel