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THE POTENTIAL OF SACRED PLACES AS A TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
On the occasion of the centenary of the apparitions of Fatima (1917-2017), the International Congress on Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage will be organized jointly by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Ministry of Economy of Portugal and the Municipality of Ourém. The Congress will reflect on the potential and the role of religious tourism and sacred places as a tool for socio-economic and cultural development of destinations.
Knowing the motivations that lead millions of peoples to travel to sacred places is an essential condition for the sustainable development of destinations. The visitor of sacred places in general and the one of Fatima in particular, is characterized by a remarkable loyalty to the visited site. Hence, it can be said that tourist’s loyalty is in these cases an essential element of the relationship that the religious tourist and the pilgrim establish with the destinations which they are visiting. Thus, a key principle is to preserve the spirit of the destinations, authenticity and integrity in the way that they are managed and promoted while making them accessible for all.
On the other hand, these places of spirituality have the potential to drain part of their tourist flows to other tourist attractions in the region, therefore, with adequate promotion strategies; it is possible to get visitors to lesser known areas and complementary places that are offered in holy places. Additionally, religious tourism destinations are usually less affected by trends and economic crisis.
Taking note of the United Nations (UN) declaring 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the congress will discuss how effective partnerships, in sacred places, can benefit local communities and encourage their sustainable development and socio-economic empowerment in the long run. It will also discuss the need for specific policies for protection and management of religious and sacred sites that take into account the distinct sacred or spiritual value associated with the place, as a key factor for their conservation.
Objectives
Reflect on the competitive potential of the religious tourism market.
Increase attractiveness in religious destinations.
Pursue the affirmation of religious tourism in regional, national and international innovation networks.
Share knowledge about the best ways to promote religious destinations.
The congress will look into the following aspects of religious tourism and pilgrimage:
The policies and strategies for the preservation of religious sites and sacred places;
The respect for local traditions, values and intangible culture;
The development of a local economy which benefits of the host communities; and
The need to ensure a positive and enriching signature visitor’s experience.
Sessions
The congress will be divided into 4 sessions:
1. Preservation of sacred traditions and protection of religious sites
a. Preservation and enhancement of religious heritage and sacred sites (protection and congestion management)
b. Religious places as accessible and inclusive destinations
2. Role of religious tourism in sustainable economic growth and social inclusiveness of local communities
a. Challenges for Local and Regional Authorities
b. Opportunities to promote values and intangible heritage
c. Processes, initiatives and projects to promote the sustainable development of the host territories
3. Potential synergies for religious tourism development through cultural routes and network of destinations
a. Networks of religious tourism and pilgrimage
b. Cross cultural understanding and peace promotion through cultural religious routes
4. The future of religious tourism: innovative marketing and use of technology
a. Appreciation of the experiential dimension to be given to visitors
b. Use of new technologies in the context of religious tourism and pilgrimage
c. Sacred places – from the space lived to the virtual space
REGISTER
All interested parties and experts, regardless of the religious context in which they work, are cordially invited to participate in the congress, which will be an opportunity for a scientific meeting, but also intercultural and ecumenical encounter.
The registrations are closed. For any question please contact us by the e-mail: fatimaiy2017@mail.cm-ourem.pt.
PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME
18:30
08:00
Registration
Venue: Centro Paulo VI (View Map)
Avenida de Dom José Alves Correia da Silva, 2495-401 Fátima, Portugal
75mins
Introduction of the International Congress on Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage
Ms. Sandra Carvao, Chief of Communications and Publications at UNWTO
5mins
09:20
Opening Ceremony
Mr. Carlos Cabecinhas, Rector of the Shrine of Fatima, Portugal
H.E. Mr. Manuel Caldeira Cabral, Minister, Ministry of Economy of Portugal
Mr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, UNWTO
President or Prime Minister of Portugal (TBC)
40mins
10:00
High-Level Dialogue
H.E. Mr. Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Economy, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
H.E. Ms. Marcela Bacigalupo, Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Paraguay
H.E. Mr. John Amaratunga, Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, Sri Lanka
Mr. Evaldas Gustas, Special Advisor of the Secretary General, UNWTO, Former Minister of Economy, Lithuania
Mr Andrew Agius Muscat, Secretary General, Mediterranean Tourism Foundation, Malta
H.E. Mrs. Aparecida Maria Borges Bezerra, National Secretariat for Qualification and Promotion of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Brasil
60mins
11:00
Coffee Break
30mins
Session 1: Preservation of sacred traditions and protection of religious sites
Many sacred sites are at risk due to a wide range of pressures and threats, both external and internal. External threats include those related to natural disasters and pollution accentuated by climate change while internal threats could be attributed to social aspects such as vandalism and theft. Tourism could also be partly responsible through overuse and exceeding carrying capacity limits. What can be done to identify, manage and mitigate these threats? Preservation of sacred traditions calls good practices in terms of universal accessibility which reinforces the competitiveness of tourism destinations. Adapting products and services for people with special access needs helps in inclusion and in dignifying tourism experiences. How can religious sites be made accessible without altering their cultural value or affecting their safety condition?
Introduced and moderated by:
Mr. Jafar Jafari, Professor, Founding Editor, Annals of Tourism ResearchSpeakers:
Dr Jeong-eun Kim, Senior Researcher, Council for Inscription of Buddhist Mountain Monasteries Republic of Korea
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Mr. Vítor Ambrósio, Professor, Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies, Portugal
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Dr. Ahmed Hassen, Director, Institute of Ethiopian Studies, University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Mrs. Pilar G. Bahamonde, Director, Centro de Estudios Lebaniegos y Torre del Infantado, Sociedad Regional Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Potes, Spain
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Mr. Ricardo Faria, Secretary of State of Tourism, Minas Gerais, Brasil
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Q & A Session
90mins
13:00
14:30
Welcome Remarks
H.E. Mr. Manuel Caldeira Cabral, Minister, Ministry of Economy, Portugal
15mins
14:45
Key Note speech
Ms. Noga Collins-Kreiner, Professor, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Israel, Vice-President of the Israeli Geographical Association (IGA)
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30mins
Session 2: Role of religious tourism in sustainable economic growth and social inclusiveness of local communities
Sacred places are characterized by seasonality and strong visitor affluence in certain times of the year that poses many challenges. It is necessary to develop strategies to manage this affluence while assuring tourists of the quality of the visit. Safeguarding cultural heritage to the satisfaction of local communities is a priority for the long-term sustainable development of the religious sites. How can governments, religious authorities and tourism operators optimize benefits that religious tourism generates?
Introduced and moderated by:
Dr. Kevin Griffin, Lecturer and former Head of Department of Tourism at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland
Speakers:
H.E. Ms. Marcela Bacigalupo, Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Paraguay
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Ms. Susana Ibáñez Rosa, Secretary-General for Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Junta de Andalusia, Seville, Spain: Case study of Seville
Ms. Anna Sidorenko, Programme Specialist, Europe and North America Unit, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Ms. Maria da Graça Mouga Poças Santos, Professor, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria and researcher at CICS.NOVA.IPLeiria, Portugal
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Mr. Patrick Torrent, President, Network of European Regions for Competitive and Sustainable Tourism (Necstour)
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Q & A Session
120mins
Closing remarks by the Master of Ceremony and end of the first day sessions
45mins
20:00
Opening of the Second Day of the Congress by the Master of Ceremony
10mins
Session 3: Potential synergies for religious tourism development through cultural routes and network of destinations
Cultural and religious routes are important tourism products which attract pilgrims around the globe and they suggest that experiences along the way are as important as the destinations themselves. As tourism routes sometimes cross several countries or regions, they stimulate entrepreneurial opportunity through the development of ancillary products and services and hence are potential drivers for local economic development, offering opportunities for forming partnerships between different regions. How can the government and the local authorities work together to develop a portfolio of strategic actions designed to a detailed plan that will enable to sustain and promote the tourism routes?
Moderators:
Mr. Stefano Dominioni, Executive Secretary, Council of Europe Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes - Directorate General of Democracy, Director, European Institute of Cultural RoutesSpeakers:
Mr. David A. Mason, Professor, Korean Cultural Tourism at Sejong University, Seoul, Honorary Ambassador of the Baekdu-daegan Mountain-Range, tour-guide, lecturer and author on traditional cultural sites, Republic of Korea
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Mr. Xosé Manuel Santos Solla, Professor, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Mr. Carlos de Oliveira Fernandes, Professor, Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Mr. Carlos Costa, Professor, Aveiro University, Portugal
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Mr. Hans Morten Løvrød, Head of National Pilgrim Center,Trondheim, Norway
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Q & A Session
90mins
Session 4: The future of religious tourism: innovative marketing and use of technology
New communication technologies have been quickly adopted by religious tourism. The information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide new opportunities of increasing interest and awareness about religious heritage and enhancing the representation of religious practice. To what extent do the technological innovations and digital evolution impact on and contribute to the promotion of religious tourism?
Introduced and moderated by:
Ms. Silvia Aulet Serrallonga, Professor and Researcher, Faculty of Tourism of the University of Girona, Spain
Speakers:
Mr. Josep Altayó, General Manager, Monestir de Montserrat, Barcelona, Spain
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Mr. Simon Carter, Head of Collections, The Chapter House, St Paul's Churchyard, London. United Kingdom: “Glories in Gold and Glass: Maximizing the benefits of a digitization project with Google Art at St Paul’s Cathedral, London”
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Ms. Karin Elgin-Nijhuis, Senior Associate, TEAM Consulting
Mona Odeh Salem Salah, Advisor, Mediterranean Tourism Foundation, Malta
Download presentation files (.ZIP)Mr. Alexandre Pinto, CEO, JiTT.travel, Portugal Download presentation files (.ZIP)
90mins
13:00
Closing Remarks
Representative of Fatima
Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy of Portugal (TBC)
Mr. Bartłomiej Walas, Advisor for Tourism of the Mayor of Krakow, Poland
UNWTO
Download presentation files (.ZIP)30mins
14:30
SPEAKERS
Sandra Carvão
Luís Albuquerque
Manuel Caldeira Cabral
Taleb Rifai
Kreshnik Bekteshi
Marcela Bacigalupo
John Amaratunga
Evaldas Gustas
Andrew Agius Muscat
Maria Bezerra
Jafar Jafari
Jeong-eun Kim
Vítor Ambrósio
Ahmed Hassen
Pilar Bahamonde
Ricardo Faria
Noga Collins-Kreiner
Kevin Griffin
Susana Ibáñez Rosa
Anna Sidorenko
Maria da Graça Lopes da Silva Mouga Poças Santos
Patrick Torrent
Stefano Dominioni
David A. Mason
Xosé Manuel Santos-Solla
Carlos de Oliveira Fernandes
Carlos Costa
Hans Morten Løvrød
Silvia Aulet
Josep Altayó
Simon Carter
Karin Elgin-Nijhuis
Mona Odeh Salem Salah
Alexandre Pinto
Ana Mendes Godinho
Bartłomiej Walas
Presentation Brochure
General Information
TAP Air Portugal - Special discounts
venue
Centro Pastoral Paulo VI
Avenida de Dom José Alves Correia da Silva, 2495-401 Fátima, Portugal
GPS Coordenates:
Latitude 39.6278509, Longitude -8.677186
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