Religious Events as Special Interest Tourism. A Spanish Experience

Angeles

Description

Resumen
Este artículo contribuye al desarrollo de la comprensión teórica en el campo de la gestión del turismo religioso, considerando el Peregrinaje del Rocío como paradigma alternativo de análisis, el cuál se ha constituido en un destino capaz de recibir un gran número de viajeros (peregrinos), en un período corto de tiempo (3 días), sin causar daños en el medio ambiente, tanto ecológico como social, debido a sus características antropológicas como forma de viaje que dan prioridad a la experiencia humana más que al consumo de mercado. Así, el modelo investigado en este artículo a través del concepto de “capi-tal social” es oportuno debido a la confluencia en el análisis de diversas ciencias sociales (antropología, economía y sociología) y de la teoría y de la técnica del turismo, concluyendo que el mantenimiento de la autenticidad y de la continuidad de esta forma de turismo religioso se debe planificar no en base a un modelo de bienes inmuebles como así ha sido hasta ahora, sino en la “no estacionalidad” y en la mejora de la regulación de la calidad de los servicios proporcionados.
Abstract
This paper contributes to the development of the theoretical understanding in the field of religious tourism management by considering the Pilgrimage of the Dew as an alternative paradigm of analysis, which has been constituted in a destination able to host a very large number of travellers (pil-grims), in a very short period of time (3 days), without damaging the environment, ecologic and social, due to the own anthropologic characteristics of this form of travelling that gives priority to the human experience more than the market consumption. Thus, the model researched in this paper through the concept of “social capital” is opportune due to the confluence in the analysis of different social sciences (anthropology, economy and sociology) and from the theory and technique of tourism, concluding that the maintenance of the authenticity and sustainability of this form of religious tourism should be planned not on the basis of a real state model as currently, but on the unseasonality and a much better and regu-lated quality of the services provided.

Sujets

• Turismo religioso
• Comunidad
• Desarrollo local
• Capital social
• Religious tourism
• Community
• Authenticity

Informations

• Publié par: erevistas
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 64
• Langue: Español

Extrait

Vol. 6 Nº 3 págs. 419-433. 2008

www.pasosonline.org


Religious Events as Special Interest Tourism. A Spanish Experience


iiAngeles Rubio Gil
iiiJavier de Esteban Curiel
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (España)


Resumen: Este artículo contribuye al desarrollo de la comprensión teórica en el campo de la gestión del
turismo religioso, considerando el Peregrinaje del Rocío como paradigma alternativo de análisis, el cuál
se ha constituido en un destino capaz de recibir un gran número de viajeros (peregrinos), en un período
corto de tiempo (3 días), sin causar daños en el medio ambiente, tanto ecológico como social, debido a
sus características antropológicas como forma de viaje que dan prioridad a la experiencia humana más
que al consumo de mercado. Así, el modelo investigado en este artículo a través del concepto de “capi-
tal social” es oportuno debido a la confluencia en el análisis de diversas ciencias sociales (antropología,
economía y sociología) y de la teoría y de la técnica del turismo, concluyendo que el mantenimiento de
la autenticidad y de la continuidad de esta forma de turismo religioso se debe planificar no en base a un
modelo de bienes inmuebles como así ha sido hasta ahora, sino en la “no estacionalidad” y en la mejora
de la regulación de la calidad de los servicios proporcionados.

Palabras clave: Turismo religioso; Eventos especiales; Comunidad; Desarrollo local; Capital social;
Autenticidad


Abstract: This paper contributes to the development of the theoretical understanding in the field of
religious tourism management by considering the Pilgrimage of the Dew as an alternative paradigm of
analysis, which has been constituted in a destination able to host a very large number of travellers (pil-
grims), in a very short period of time (3 days), without damaging the environment, ecologic and social,
due to the own anthropologic characteristics of this form of travelling that gives priority to the human
experience more than the market consumption. Thus, the model researched in this paper through the
concept of “social capital” is opportune due to the confluence in the analysis of different social sciences
(anthropology, economy and sociology) and from the theory and technique of tourism, concluding that
the maintenance of the authenticity and sustainability of this form of religious tourism should be planned
not on the basis of a real state model as currently, but on the unseasonality and a much better and regu-
lated quality of the services provided.

Keywords: Religious tourism; Special event; Community; Local development, Social capital; Authen-
ticity


ii • Dr. Angeles Rubio Gil is Full Time Professor in Marketing Department of Rey Juan Carlos University. She has
tourism research interests in the areas of tourism, sociology, anthropology and marketing.
Email: [e-mail]; [e-mail]
iii • Dr. Javier de Esteban Curiel is Full Timeting Department of Rey Juan Carlos University. He
has research interest in the areas of sociology, cultural tourism and marketing. Currently, his research is focused in
the semiotic impacts of cultural tourism and its link with the urban environment. E-mail: [e-mail];
[e-mail]
© PASOS. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural. ISSN 1695-7121 420 Religious Events as Special Interest Tourism ...

Introduction Dew is a paradigm as factors, such as the
cultural impacts and the authenticity, are
Religious tourism as a special interest the origin of a particular model of economic
event has a highly complex impact on local impact: the anthropologic and social as-
communities. According to Cohen (1984), pects generate a flow of tourists, organisa-
during their stay in the destination, tour- tion and sustainability very significant of
ists interact with local residents and the this phenomenon, whereas the tourism
outcome of their relationship is changes in industry remains in a very precarious
the host individuals' and host community's situation. In fact, it can be considered as an
quality of life, value systems, labour divi- opportunity to study the movements of
sion, family relationships, attitudes, behav- travellers and their planning from the the-
ioural patterns, ceremonies and creative ory of tourism. As a result, the Pilgrimage
expressions. In particular, socioeconomic of the Dew is considered as a paradigm
impacts of tourism include influx of people from the theoretical framework of the
and related social degradation, impacts on ‘adaptancy platform’, which is the starting
local communities and on cultural values. point of this study pursuing alternatives of
By assessing the ‘Pilgrimage of the Dew’, tourism development, based on local par-
located in the South of Spain (the Village of ticipation and adaptation to the environ-
the Dew belongs to Almonte City Hall, in- ment, taking as well into consideration the
side the Doñana National Park in the prov- multidiscipline perspective of the ‘knowl-
ince of Huelva), a description of both quan- edge-based platform’.
titative and qualitative socioeconomic Cohen (1984) states that tourism is ‘a
measurements of the impact will be pre- modern form of pilgrimage, as the trip is
sented. These measurements give religious also something sacred’. Consequently, the
tourism an opportunity to confirm itself as authenticity of the Pilgrimage of the Dew
a local agent for development. In particu- determines its model of intermediation and
lar, the socioeconomic research of tourism, hospitality, located basically in the domes-
following to classic authors as Cohen tic scope (collective houses, friends and
(1984), tends to focus on four major the- relatives, journeys in horse-carts and pri-
matic areas: the tourist, tourists and hosts, vate cars, supply from the place of origin,
development and structure of the tourist etc.), outside the market activity, in a post-
system, and fundamentally, the impacts of industrial society, but that produces an-
tourism on local communities. other practices only understandable in this
Such impacts are analysed from an eco- socioeconomic environment. Talking about
nomic but also from a cultural perspective, pilgrims and tourism as a pass-through rite
and it is on this last where a debate has (Turner, 1973; Cohen 1988) is also in the
raised around the issue of authenticity. case of the Dew about a community rite not
Studies have been carried out, both theo- contaminated by the marketing, the mix-
retical and empirical ones, in order to cre- ture and the theatre sense of post-
ate a framework which is divided into four modernism. It is a searching of the social
platforms (Jafari, 1984; Lea, 1988): the and ethnic roots, face to the lost of refer-
optimistic conceptualisation, the pessimis- ences of the contemporary society. How-
tic or warning, the adaptancy, and the ever, this pilgrimage has economic impacts,
knowledge-based with systematic and de- understandable just from appropriate con-
tailed studies that examines tourism as a cepts of this community, such as the social
holistic and multidiscipline approach. In- capital or the sustainable development.
deed, currently tourism ‘is considered as a Moreover, and not less important, this
‘mega-system’ that generates and receives model of tourism development allows a
in a context of interdependence of struc- slightly but consistent set up of alternative
tures and forces’ (Jafari, 1989), where is tourism activities in conjunction with fes-
quite difficult to separate the cultural and tivity.
economic dimension, but on the contrary, to In this context, this research provides
tie up these related concepts each other. an alternative paradigm of analysis to the
Hence, the case of the Pilgrimage of the development of the theoretical understand-
PASOS. Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural, 6(3). 2008 ISSN 1695-7121

Angeles Rubio Gil y Javier de Esteban Curiel 421

ing in the field of religious tourism man- are endogen resources, it results coherent
agement by considering the Pilgrimage of the structure of a local tourism supply
the Dew from the confluence of different which acts in the middle term as an impor-
social sciences (anthropology, economy and tant factor of development (Pardellas and
sociology). Padin, 2004). In this sense, there are two
approaches in finding the research idea. On
Socioeconomic dimension of cultural and one hand, from a scientific-academic per-
religious tourism spective, this study explores in depth the
nature of cultural and religious tourism.
Cultural and religious tourism, together On the other hand, this study seeks to ana-
with other alternative forms of tourism lyse the socioeconomic impact and the
strengthens the local economies and con- structure of the expenditures produced by
tributes to sustainable development. In this kind of tourism, from an anthropologi-
fact, tourism as a development agent is an cal, eco