Pilgrimage Tourism

Abstract

This manuscript investigates the opinions of travellers in pilgrimage tourism, focusing on the three phases of the pilgrimage journey: pre, in-transit, and post. The study explores the different kinds of needs that emerge in each phase and examines their impact on shaping travellers' opinions. The research methodology employed SmartPLS (partial least squares) analysis to evaluate the relationships between independent variables and travellers' opinions. Data was collected through an online questionnaire. The findings indicate that all three phases significantly influence travellers' opinions, with the in-transit phase emerging as the most influential. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of pre-visit factors in framing travellers' opinions. The results of the study contribute to theoretical knowledge by identifying influential components in pilgrimage tourism and their impact on travellers' opinions. From a managerial perspective, the findings provide insights for destination managers to enhance the quality of experiences in the three phases and address pre-visit factors.