Read full story from Associated Press at http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h75RW6HFyxBrK12CzAWvncopejXAD9A6PPF00
ORLANDO, Fla. — A 2,000-seat Catholic shrine in Orlando is getting ready to celebrate its new status as one of just 63 basilicas in the U.S.
August 26, 2009
August 23, 2009
Eureka Springs and Religious Tourism
Read full story at:
http://insite.religioustraveldirectory.com/destinations-of-faith/eureka-springs/
Eureka Springs, Arkansas is a wonderful religious destination. The town offers many religious sites and activities. Located in the gorgeous Ozark Mountains, Eureka Springs is both a beautiful and spritual vacation. Visitors can see The Great Passion Play in an outdoor setting. There is also the Bible Museum, Sacred Arts Center and the Christ of the Ozarks statue. They offer s tours as well, such as the New Holy Land Tour and Tabernacle Teaching Tour.
http://insite.religioustraveldirectory.com/destinations-of-faith/eureka-springs/
Eureka Springs, Arkansas is a wonderful religious destination. The town offers many religious sites and activities. Located in the gorgeous Ozark Mountains, Eureka Springs is both a beautiful and spritual vacation. Visitors can see The Great Passion Play in an outdoor setting. There is also the Bible Museum, Sacred Arts Center and the Christ of the Ozarks statue. They offer s tours as well, such as the New Holy Land Tour and Tabernacle Teaching Tour.
Religious tourism lifts private jet charters
Read full story at http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/8/Pages/23082009/08242009_9914f8718d054fc7972f3e171bcb4333.aspx
International Air Charter (IAC), a private jet charter broker, expects a 50 per cent increase in demand for charters to Saudi Arabia during Ramadan over the previous year, the company said yesterday.IAC added that the forecast is in line with the growth of religious tourism in Saudi Arabia, which is expected to generate up to $7 billion (Dh25.71bn) in annual revenues."
He said IAC has allocated substantial resources and has put priority on religious tourism
International Air Charter (IAC), a private jet charter broker, expects a 50 per cent increase in demand for charters to Saudi Arabia during Ramadan over the previous year, the company said yesterday.IAC added that the forecast is in line with the growth of religious tourism in Saudi Arabia, which is expected to generate up to $7 billion (Dh25.71bn) in annual revenues."
He said IAC has allocated substantial resources and has put priority on religious tourism
August 17, 2009
PASTORS REPRESENTING 10 NATIONS EXPERIENCE FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP IN BAHAMAS
RELIGIOUS MARKET GLOBAL OUTREACH – The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation’s Religious Market, recently took advantage of an opportunity to pitch the country’s outstanding conference and meetings facilities to a group of Pastors visiting Nassau from the United States, Cuba and even places as far flung as China, Africa, Italy and Great Britain.
The group of spiritual leaders were in attendance at a "Kingdom Leadership Conference" being held at the Diplomat Center, Carmichael Road, under the direction of renowned Bahamian spiritual leader, Pastor Miles Munroe, President and Senior Pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, Nassau, Bahamas. The group of pastors representing 10 nations, were a part of a delegation of about 185 persons in attendance at the Conference.
During their visit to The Bahamas, the church leaders were given a tour of some of the Island's finest hotels and resorts, and then feted to a reception at their host hotel, The Wyndham Nassau Resort, Cable Beach. Pictured above, front center, Mr. Linville Johnson, MOT Director of Religious Market, and Dr. Myles Munroe are flanked by the Pastors.The Religious market is an $18 Billion Global Market, and the Bahamas, boasting the largest assortment of vacation spots of any tropical destination in the world, is poised to take advantage of a larger share of this growing market. No longer simply a fun vacation, the Bahamas can also offer its visitors faith and fellowship."The Bahamas...where God lives."
Linville Johnson, is available to answer questions on group needs for religious conferences, conventions, retreats etc., at ljohnson@bahamas.com. For more information on the Islands of The Bahamas, visit www.bahamas.com, or you can reach us at 1-800 Bahamas.
August 15, 2009
Jamaica Tourist Board Wooing Church Groups from the UK
JTB Wooing Church Groups in the UK
Read full story at http://www.jis.gov.jm/indus_tourism/html/20090815T100000-0500_20792_JIS_JTB_WOOING_CHURCH_GROUPS_IN_THE_UK.asp
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is wooing church groups in the United Kingdom (UK) as it seeks to bring more visitors into the island.
More than 30 Diaspora and mainstream church leaders from various denominations were invited to a special brunch at the Jamaican High Commission in London on Tuesday (Aug. 11), where they were urged to consider Jamaica as a venue for faith-based group travel.
The group, which comprised decision makers for overseas conferences, retreats or other events organised by churches, were invited by the JTB to be part of a destination familiarisation visit to Jamaica.
The JTB made the point that Jamaica can offer a diverse range of events and activities and is already the venue for faith-related activities such as the annual 'Fun in the Son' gospel festival, which is now a regular calendar event
Read full story at http://www.jis.gov.jm/indus_tourism/html/20090815T100000-0500_20792_JIS_JTB_WOOING_CHURCH_GROUPS_IN_THE_UK.asp
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is wooing church groups in the United Kingdom (UK) as it seeks to bring more visitors into the island.
More than 30 Diaspora and mainstream church leaders from various denominations were invited to a special brunch at the Jamaican High Commission in London on Tuesday (Aug. 11), where they were urged to consider Jamaica as a venue for faith-based group travel.
The group, which comprised decision makers for overseas conferences, retreats or other events organised by churches, were invited by the JTB to be part of a destination familiarisation visit to Jamaica.
The JTB made the point that Jamaica can offer a diverse range of events and activities and is already the venue for faith-related activities such as the annual 'Fun in the Son' gospel festival, which is now a regular calendar event
August 4, 2009
Cardinal Foley encourages pilgrimages
Read the full article at: http://www.h2onews.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19692&Itemid=14
Cardinal Foley recommends the great experience of visiting the Holy Land -- a trip, he said, thta “is unforgettable.”
“I would really recommend for everybody a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. People make pilgrimages to Lourdes, to Fatima, to Santiago de Compostela, and all of these were important and good. But I think the trip to Holy land is unforgettable. You see the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked around the sea and on the sea; you see the Mount of the Beatitudes; you see Bethlehem where He was born; you see Nazareth were He grew up; and you see Jerusalem, of course, where He talked, and suffered and died and rose.”
Cardinal Foley recommends the great experience of visiting the Holy Land -- a trip, he said, thta “is unforgettable.”
“I would really recommend for everybody a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. People make pilgrimages to Lourdes, to Fatima, to Santiago de Compostela, and all of these were important and good. But I think the trip to Holy land is unforgettable. You see the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked around the sea and on the sea; you see the Mount of the Beatitudes; you see Bethlehem where He was born; you see Nazareth were He grew up; and you see Jerusalem, of course, where He talked, and suffered and died and rose.”
July 26, 2009
Colombia Salt Cathedral to add spa
Read full story at http://colombiareports.com/travel-in-colombia/133-cundinamarca/4875-salt-cathedral-to-have-underground-spa.html
The Zipaquira Salt Cathedral in the Cundinamarca department will soon be worth more than its weight in salt. The 200 meters underground church, 49 kilometers north of Bogota, will add a salt spa to its other attractions, El Colombiano reported Tuesday.
Not content with the 800,000 visitors that the church -- built inside a salt mine -- receives every year, the mayor of Zipaquira, Jorge Enrique Gonzalez decided to expand the church's facilities.
The Zipaquira Salt Cathedral in the Cundinamarca department will soon be worth more than its weight in salt. The 200 meters underground church, 49 kilometers north of Bogota, will add a salt spa to its other attractions, El Colombiano reported Tuesday.
Not content with the 800,000 visitors that the church -- built inside a salt mine -- receives every year, the mayor of Zipaquira, Jorge Enrique Gonzalez decided to expand the church's facilities.
July 21, 2009
Tourism in Arab countries steady with 2-6% growth rate despite international slowdown
Source/Read the full story at: http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20090721072553
As soon as the international economy started to recover from the global financial crisis, another crisis appeared in the form of "Swine Flu", affecting international tourism. The World Tourism Organisation recently (WTO) revealed its estimates of the declining tourism rates, which ranged from 0% to 2-3% lower, while the number of tourists during the last two months has declined by 7.7% compared to the same period in 2008, a value higher than the 2% decline predicted by the WTO for 2009.
But there is a ray of hope for Arab countries, as statistics show that Arab countries are better prepared to overcome the tourism crisis than any other area in the world. The Middle East has had the highest touristic growth rate in the world (an increase of 11% in 2008 compared to 2% in the rest of the world), and the WTO expects tourism in Arab countries to increase by 2-6% this year.
H.E. Saeed Ahmed Mohammed bin Butti, Chairman of Al Dhiafa Holding and Jinan Hotels and Resorts, believes there is a need to enhance tourism in Arab countries, and to enhance tourism services, as tourism is one of the important industries contributing to the Arab World's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). "The tourism industry heavily relies on attracting tourists. This concept, in turn, depends on diversifying tourism services, which are no longer exclusive to visiting museums and historical places, but also include religious tourism, medical tourism, tourism for relaxation purposes, sports tourism, education and art tourism, and touring for festivals and conferences," he explains.
As soon as the international economy started to recover from the global financial crisis, another crisis appeared in the form of "Swine Flu", affecting international tourism. The World Tourism Organisation recently (WTO) revealed its estimates of the declining tourism rates, which ranged from 0% to 2-3% lower, while the number of tourists during the last two months has declined by 7.7% compared to the same period in 2008, a value higher than the 2% decline predicted by the WTO for 2009.
But there is a ray of hope for Arab countries, as statistics show that Arab countries are better prepared to overcome the tourism crisis than any other area in the world. The Middle East has had the highest touristic growth rate in the world (an increase of 11% in 2008 compared to 2% in the rest of the world), and the WTO expects tourism in Arab countries to increase by 2-6% this year.
H.E. Saeed Ahmed Mohammed bin Butti, Chairman of Al Dhiafa Holding and Jinan Hotels and Resorts, believes there is a need to enhance tourism in Arab countries, and to enhance tourism services, as tourism is one of the important industries contributing to the Arab World's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). "The tourism industry heavily relies on attracting tourists. This concept, in turn, depends on diversifying tourism services, which are no longer exclusive to visiting museums and historical places, but also include religious tourism, medical tourism, tourism for relaxation purposes, sports tourism, education and art tourism, and touring for festivals and conferences," he explains.
July 2, 2009
The RCMA Survey Presents: The Religious Meetings Market
Full story/stats at: http://meetingsnet.com/religiousconferencemanager/mag/0601-religious-meetings-market-survey/?smte=wl
The RCMA Survey Presents: The Religious Meetings MarketJun 1, 2009 12:00 PM, RCM Staff Report
The annual RCMA Member Survey provides a snapshot of the religious meetings conducted by RCMA's meeting planners. The 2008 picture shows that RCMA members are a force in the meetings industry, as they build on strong relationships with the people, facilities, and communities that provide services for religious events.
The 2008 survey reveals:
Attendance at meetings conducted by RCMA members stood at 11.3 million.
Downtown sites are the top choice for religious meeting planners and organizations, hosting 17.5 percent of all religious meetings.
Suburban hotels grew in popularity as sites for religious meetings.
The duration of meetings continues to remain stable.
The percentage of meeting planners who said that they use venues throughout the U.S. stands at more than 22 percent.
The NumbersIn 2008, 11,387,533 people attended meetings that were conducted by RCMA members. Conventions and conferences accounted for 9.2 million of the total attendees, followed by 530,416 attendees at committee meetings and seminars. Retreats, with 346,404 attendees, and board meetings (118,890) followed.
Of the 13,981 meetings held in 2008, committee and seminars made up a significant portion; RCMA organizations held 4,697 such meetings in 2008. Conventions and conferences ranked second in the number of meetings in 2008, with 3,460, followed by other types of meetings (2,234), and board meetings (2,165).
Downtown RulesDowntown hotels continue to be the top choice for religious meeting planners: 17.5 percent of the meetings in 2008 were held at downtown hotels. Downtown hotels have led for the past 14 years.
As the second-most-popular option, conference centers continue to be a popular choice for RCMA planners and organizations. In 2008, 16.8 percent of all meetings were held in conference centers.
The third-most-popular meeting facilities, suburban hotels, rose in the percentage of business they received from RCMA planners. Suburban hotels garnered 13.1 percent of the business in 2008, up from 12.8 percent in 2007.
Next, convention/civic centers commanded 11.3 percent of the business.
Camps and retreats continue to be appealing, claiming 11.1 percent of the RCMA business.
In the sixth spot, resort hotels attracted 10.9 percent of the business in 2008.
Airport hotels remained in seventh place, hosting 10.8 percent of the meetings in 2008.
Colleges and universities continue to represent an important alternative for religious meeting planners, with 7.1 percent of the 2008 business. Cruise ships garnered just 1.5 percent of the religious meetings business.
Room BlocksIt was not unusual in 2008 for a religious meeting planner to need 100 to 200 rooms for his or her largest meeting. That category made up 18 percent of the survey, while meetings requiring 10 to 50 rooms came in at 15 percent.
Meetings requiring 50 to 100 rooms were 13 percent of RCMA business. Meetings with 300 to 500 rooms were at 12 percent. Meetings requiring 500 to 1,000 rooms and 200 to 300 rooms also represented 12 percent.
Only 5 percent of meetings needed more than 3,000 sleeping rooms, but those meetings are a significant share of religious-meetings business.
Meeting SizesIf you are a meeting planner whose largest seating capacity in 2008 was 500 to 1,000, then you are not alone in RCMA. Eighteen percent of respondents said that was their largest meeting of the year.
Seventeen percent of respondents said that 1,000 to 2,500 was their largest seating capacity. Meetings in the 100-300 size also represented 17 percent, followed by 300-500 (16 percent).
At the very high end, 2 percent of those surveyed said that their largest meetings in 2008 required seating for more than 25,000 people.
The survey indicates that when it comes to exhibits and trade shows, a significant majority of religious meetings use them. Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed needed exhibit space in 2008, which is a slight increase from 67 percent in 2007.
The member survey for 2008 showed little change in the size of exhibit space needed, with 27 percent of planners needing 3,000 to 4,000 square feet. On the high end, 2 percent of RCMA members said that their largest meeting required 40,000 to 50,000 square feet of exhibit space, and 7 percent needed more than 50,000 square feet.
Help WantedThe popularity of catering services continues to be high among RCMA planners. Just a few years ago, only a quarter of the RCMA members surveyed reported using catering and banquet services. In 2008, however, 80 percent used those services.
Audiovisuals, too, are an integral part of religious meetings. RCMA members used AV supplier services at 81 percent of their meetings.
Efficient ground transportation and tours are important to religious meeting planners as well, according to the survey. In 2008, 54 percent of those surveyed said that they used ground transportation and tour services.
Special air rates and ticketing were used by 49 percent of the RCMA members surveyed, while exhibit and decorating services were used by 46 percent of RCMA members surveyed. Forty-three percent of those surveyed made use of car rentals.
Time Well SpentAgain in 2008, the RCMA survey shows that people are willing to dedicate a significant amount of time to attending religious meetings.
The average length of conventions and conferences was 4.1 days in 2008, a statistic that has held steady for more than 10 years. The survey also seems to indicate that retreats are very important. The length of retreats remains high: 3.4 days in 2008. The length of the average board meeting was 2.3 days in 2008, and the average committee meeting and seminar lasted 2.2 days.
From Sea to Shining SeaThe Midwest continues to be popular for religious meetings, with 19.4 percent of planners reporting that they hold meetings there. The Southeast remains strong in the percentage of planners who chose it, at 15.4 percent in 2008. The Northeast states were used by 13.2 percent of the planners, followed by the Western states at 10.4 percent and South Central at 10.1 percent. The percentage of planners who hold meetings “throughout the USA” was 22.2 percent.
Of those surveyed, 9.3 percent said they hold meetings outside the United States.
Meeting Attendance
Fig. 1 Type of Meeting Total Attendance 2008
Convention/Conference 9,204,732
Board 118,890
Committee/Seminar 530,416
Retreat 346,404
Other 1,187,091
Total 11,387,533
Types of Meeting Facilities Used
Fig. 6 Facility
Downtown Hotel 17.5%
Conference Center 16.8%
Suburban Hotel 13.1%
Convention/Civic Center 11.3%
Camps/Resorts 11.1%
Resort Hotel 10.9%
Airport Hotel 10.8%
College/University 7.1%
Cruise Ship 1.5%
The RCMA Survey Presents: The Religious Meetings MarketJun 1, 2009 12:00 PM, RCM Staff Report
The annual RCMA Member Survey provides a snapshot of the religious meetings conducted by RCMA's meeting planners. The 2008 picture shows that RCMA members are a force in the meetings industry, as they build on strong relationships with the people, facilities, and communities that provide services for religious events.
The 2008 survey reveals:
Attendance at meetings conducted by RCMA members stood at 11.3 million.
Downtown sites are the top choice for religious meeting planners and organizations, hosting 17.5 percent of all religious meetings.
Suburban hotels grew in popularity as sites for religious meetings.
The duration of meetings continues to remain stable.
The percentage of meeting planners who said that they use venues throughout the U.S. stands at more than 22 percent.
The NumbersIn 2008, 11,387,533 people attended meetings that were conducted by RCMA members. Conventions and conferences accounted for 9.2 million of the total attendees, followed by 530,416 attendees at committee meetings and seminars. Retreats, with 346,404 attendees, and board meetings (118,890) followed.
Of the 13,981 meetings held in 2008, committee and seminars made up a significant portion; RCMA organizations held 4,697 such meetings in 2008. Conventions and conferences ranked second in the number of meetings in 2008, with 3,460, followed by other types of meetings (2,234), and board meetings (2,165).
Downtown RulesDowntown hotels continue to be the top choice for religious meeting planners: 17.5 percent of the meetings in 2008 were held at downtown hotels. Downtown hotels have led for the past 14 years.
As the second-most-popular option, conference centers continue to be a popular choice for RCMA planners and organizations. In 2008, 16.8 percent of all meetings were held in conference centers.
The third-most-popular meeting facilities, suburban hotels, rose in the percentage of business they received from RCMA planners. Suburban hotels garnered 13.1 percent of the business in 2008, up from 12.8 percent in 2007.
Next, convention/civic centers commanded 11.3 percent of the business.
Camps and retreats continue to be appealing, claiming 11.1 percent of the RCMA business.
In the sixth spot, resort hotels attracted 10.9 percent of the business in 2008.
Airport hotels remained in seventh place, hosting 10.8 percent of the meetings in 2008.
Colleges and universities continue to represent an important alternative for religious meeting planners, with 7.1 percent of the 2008 business. Cruise ships garnered just 1.5 percent of the religious meetings business.
Room BlocksIt was not unusual in 2008 for a religious meeting planner to need 100 to 200 rooms for his or her largest meeting. That category made up 18 percent of the survey, while meetings requiring 10 to 50 rooms came in at 15 percent.
Meetings requiring 50 to 100 rooms were 13 percent of RCMA business. Meetings with 300 to 500 rooms were at 12 percent. Meetings requiring 500 to 1,000 rooms and 200 to 300 rooms also represented 12 percent.
Only 5 percent of meetings needed more than 3,000 sleeping rooms, but those meetings are a significant share of religious-meetings business.
Meeting SizesIf you are a meeting planner whose largest seating capacity in 2008 was 500 to 1,000, then you are not alone in RCMA. Eighteen percent of respondents said that was their largest meeting of the year.
Seventeen percent of respondents said that 1,000 to 2,500 was their largest seating capacity. Meetings in the 100-300 size also represented 17 percent, followed by 300-500 (16 percent).
At the very high end, 2 percent of those surveyed said that their largest meetings in 2008 required seating for more than 25,000 people.
The survey indicates that when it comes to exhibits and trade shows, a significant majority of religious meetings use them. Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed needed exhibit space in 2008, which is a slight increase from 67 percent in 2007.
The member survey for 2008 showed little change in the size of exhibit space needed, with 27 percent of planners needing 3,000 to 4,000 square feet. On the high end, 2 percent of RCMA members said that their largest meeting required 40,000 to 50,000 square feet of exhibit space, and 7 percent needed more than 50,000 square feet.
Help WantedThe popularity of catering services continues to be high among RCMA planners. Just a few years ago, only a quarter of the RCMA members surveyed reported using catering and banquet services. In 2008, however, 80 percent used those services.
Audiovisuals, too, are an integral part of religious meetings. RCMA members used AV supplier services at 81 percent of their meetings.
Efficient ground transportation and tours are important to religious meeting planners as well, according to the survey. In 2008, 54 percent of those surveyed said that they used ground transportation and tour services.
Special air rates and ticketing were used by 49 percent of the RCMA members surveyed, while exhibit and decorating services were used by 46 percent of RCMA members surveyed. Forty-three percent of those surveyed made use of car rentals.
Time Well SpentAgain in 2008, the RCMA survey shows that people are willing to dedicate a significant amount of time to attending religious meetings.
The average length of conventions and conferences was 4.1 days in 2008, a statistic that has held steady for more than 10 years. The survey also seems to indicate that retreats are very important. The length of retreats remains high: 3.4 days in 2008. The length of the average board meeting was 2.3 days in 2008, and the average committee meeting and seminar lasted 2.2 days.
From Sea to Shining SeaThe Midwest continues to be popular for religious meetings, with 19.4 percent of planners reporting that they hold meetings there. The Southeast remains strong in the percentage of planners who chose it, at 15.4 percent in 2008. The Northeast states were used by 13.2 percent of the planners, followed by the Western states at 10.4 percent and South Central at 10.1 percent. The percentage of planners who hold meetings “throughout the USA” was 22.2 percent.
Of those surveyed, 9.3 percent said they hold meetings outside the United States.
Meeting Attendance
Fig. 1 Type of Meeting Total Attendance 2008
Convention/Conference 9,204,732
Board 118,890
Committee/Seminar 530,416
Retreat 346,404
Other 1,187,091
Total 11,387,533
Types of Meeting Facilities Used
Fig. 6 Facility
Downtown Hotel 17.5%
Conference Center 16.8%
Suburban Hotel 13.1%
Convention/Civic Center 11.3%
Camps/Resorts 11.1%
Resort Hotel 10.9%
Airport Hotel 10.8%
College/University 7.1%
Cruise Ship 1.5%
June 28, 2009
Shroud of Turin to Boost Religious Travel
Read story at http://www.silverlight-travel.com/turin/index.php/2009/06/shroud-of-turin-to-boost-religious-travel/
After 10 years of being locked away, the Shroud of Turin is slated for display in 2010. It is normally rolled up and locked away in a silver box, and kept under close guard in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, with a replica on display. But Pope Benedict has announced that the real thing will be put on display for the faithful to see next year, and as a result, religious travel promises to be booming.
The Shroud is a linen cloth (measuring approximately 14 1/2 x 4 feet) that is believed to have been the burial cloth of Jesus. Many Christians believe that the cloth has an image of a crucified man, with a beard and long hair, with arms folded across his chest. The cloth appears to have blood, seemingly from wounds in the wrists, feet and side.
After 10 years of being locked away, the Shroud of Turin is slated for display in 2010. It is normally rolled up and locked away in a silver box, and kept under close guard in the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, with a replica on display. But Pope Benedict has announced that the real thing will be put on display for the faithful to see next year, and as a result, religious travel promises to be booming.
The Shroud is a linen cloth (measuring approximately 14 1/2 x 4 feet) that is believed to have been the burial cloth of Jesus. Many Christians believe that the cloth has an image of a crucified man, with a beard and long hair, with arms folded across his chest. The cloth appears to have blood, seemingly from wounds in the wrists, feet and side.
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