Here's an article that appeared this week in the Denver Business Journal about the growth of religious tourism and the launch of the World Religious Travel Association......
http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2007/02/19/story13.html
Travel industry veteran taps into faith-based niche
The Denver Business Journal - February 16, 2007
by Paula Moore
Denver Business Journal
Littleton travel-industry pro Kevin Wright has launched the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) and his own consulting business in recent months.
Wright helped create the WRTA, with Christian-event marketer Honnie Korngold of California, in late January because of the recent explosion in the religious, or "faith-based," travel industry. That business now generates $18 billion a year worldwide and is one of the travel industry's fastest-growing segments, according to travel and religious groups. Association dues range from nothing for some individuals to as much as $10,000 a year for trade groups.
"All faiths have destinations of significance, places to go on pilgrimages," Wright said. "The new, broader definition of religious travel is traveling with fellowship. ... People want a leisure vacation, and to travel with their church community and enjoy things like Scripture study."
Wright grew up in the tourism business. His father and consulting partner, James Wright, worked for what's now the Six Flags Inc. theme-park company and was president and CEO of the Space Needle Corp., manager of Seattle's Space Needle tower. During summers off from Washington State University, Kevin worked for the Holland America Lines cruise-ship company.
Wright moved to Denver in 2000 to work for the Globus travel company, whose U.S. headquarters is in Littleton. The relocation fulfilled a deal Wright made with himself as a 10-year-old living in Southern California. He promised himself he would live in Colorado because of its snow and mountains. The Colorado transplant left Globus and started Religious Market Consulting Group in November 2006.
Q: Why start the World Religious Travel Association? A: Religious travel has been considered a niche, but now we're an industry. With the association, we want to lead, enrich and expand the industry. ... At first, we'll work with travel sellers worldwide and focus on consumers in North America.
Q: What is the association's goal? A: Our goal is to work with religious travel, tourism and hospitality groups. There are seven categories of those groups -- travel wholesalers, tourism boards and cruise lines; travel suppliers and vendors like hotels and travel companies; travel agencies and consortiums; and religious suppliers and vendors like Focus on the Family and Mother Cabrini Shrine.
On the consumer side, there are religious organizations and churches, and individuals and clergy. Then there's the media. The association is broken down to work with all those segments.
We want to educate people about the vast size and clout of this market. We also want to educate others about the attributes of the religious travel market; it's very resilient, as the hotel industry knows.
Despite war, terrorism and recession, religious travelers don't cancel. And the religious market is the kind that when a convention is over, and if someone forgot to turn in their hotel key card, they mail it back.
Q: How many members does the association have? A: We only started two weeks ago. Put it this way: Our goal is to have 3,000 members this year, and we're on track for 4,000. We already have members from Israel, Africa, Australia and Turkey.
Q: Why has religious travel become so much more popular? A: In the last decade, there's been an increase in the population of people of faith. There are 10 million more Christians in the United States, and more people in general are traveling since 1995.
People of faith are spending more money on products related to their faith -- movies, books and music. Travel is one of the latest things ... They have realized they can travel and have their faith.
Q: What's the range of religious trips? A: From Faith Day at a Colorado Rockies home game, a ski trip and an Outward Bound experience to a traditional pilgrimage to the Holy Land. ... People think of religious travel as being around the world, but there's also plenty of it here in Colorado. There's Six Flags Elitch Gardens, which got 3,000 people for a Christian youth day; Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs; and the Mother Cabrini Shrine. Colorado has an edge when it comes to religious travel because we have a retreat-type setting with the mountains.
Q: Are religious trips more expensive than standard ones? A: Prices are comparable. There's actually been a shift from a poverty mentality among religious travelers to expecting first-class accommodations. Not luxury, but first class. That's new for the travel industry, whether you're talking about a convention or a trip. BIO Kevin Wright Business: President, Religious Market Consulting Group and World Religious Travel Association Work history: Globus, Maupin Travel Inc., Holland America Line.
Features news, stories, and insight regarding the $18 billion and 300 million traveler worldwide faith-based vacations, cruise, and hospitality market.
About Me
- kevinjwright
- Kevin J. Wright is one of the world's most recognized religious travel and hospitality authorities. He founded and served as President of the World Religious Travel Association, the leading organization dedicated to the 300 million traveler faith tourism industry. He also served as Chairman of the World Religious Travel Expo, drawing more than 30 countries from around the world. Wright has been interviewed by the CBS Early Show, TIME Magazine, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, National Public Radio (NPR), National Geographic, Forbes Traveler, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, and dozens of other media outlets. He is the author of four travel guidebooks.
Faith-based Tourism
300 million travelers worldwide
