Nassau Guardian: Faith a Huge Tourist Market

July 2007 article in Nassau Guardian (Bahamas Newspaper)

Faith a Huge Tourist Market
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/bixex/293681505596424.php
By TERENCE MURRELL, Guardian Business Editor
tmurrell@nasguard.com

The Bahamas is among a group of nations that have embarked on new marketing initiatives to develop a faith/religious tourism niche, a market that facilitates 330 million religious travelers and generates $18 billion annually.
The jurisdiction, which recently became a charter member of the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA), is one of the few countries in the world with a dedicated religious travel department. The WRTA was formed in January 2007 to establish, develop and expand faith-based vacations as a key component in the global tourism trade. Faith-based travel is one of the fastest growing travel segments, according to the World Travel Organization (WTO).
WRTA officers recently met with Neko Grant, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, and Linville Johnson, Deputy Director of the Religious Market for the Bahamas Tourist Office, to discuss the country's efforts toward developing religious tourism.
"The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Religious/Faith department is pleased to be a charter member of the World Religious Travel Association," said Grant. "In this new partnership we look forward to WRTA assisting us in delivering our message to our key audience, and it is our hope that through our association with this organization that the number of religious/faith meetings, conferences, conventions and retreats to The Islands Of The Bahamas will increase substantially."
Cyprus, Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, Jamaica, Jordan, Turkey and India are some of the nations which have embarked on new marketing ventures, along with The Bahamas, to attract faith-based travelers, particularly those from the North American market.
Of the $18 billion generated globally in the faith-based tourism sub-sector, roughly $10 billion is generated in the United States. The Travel Industry Association of America recently released survey findings which noted that 25% of travelers expressed an interest in taking a spiritual vacation, such as a religious retreat or a pilgrimage. The survey further reveled that that the appeal of a spiritual vacation spans the ages, with approximately one-third of each age group (18 – 34 years old, 35 – 54 years old and 55+) expressing an interest in embarking on such a vacation.
"We are delighted the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has joined us as a charter member, and it is a privilege to provide them with a framework to help increase awareness of their destination among faith-based travelers," said Kevin J. Wright, founder and Executive Director of WRTA. "The travel and tourism industry is responding to the clout of this built-in affinity group of 330 million vacationers, and tourism boards are wisely taking a long-term view to establish and develop their brand within this very lucrative tourism segment."