Location
Monserrat
Start Date
26-6-2026 3:30 PM
End Date
26-6-2026 5:00 PM
Description
While traditional perspectives on religious tourism often emphasize faith as the primary motivator, this study challenges that assumption, revealing that the pursuit of self-fulfilment is a more powerful and significant driver of memorable visitor experiences. This research delves into the psychological underpinnings of pilgrimage, seeking to understand what transforms a simple visit into a profoundly impactful journey that enhances a visitor’s sense of self-worth.
To investigate these dynamics, the study adopted the ABC Model of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). This framework posits that an Activating event (visiting a religious attraction) triggers an individual’s internal Belief system (religiosity and self-fulfilment), which in turn leads to emotional and behavioural Consequences (a memorable experience and heightened self-worth). Data were gathered from 319 visitors at two of Hong Kong’s most prominent pilgrimage sites, Wong Tai Sin Temple and the Big Buddha, which attract a diverse mix of both devout followers and secular tourists. The proposed theoretical model was rigorously tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM 4.0).
The results unequivocally demonstrate that while both religiosity and self-fulfilment are significant predictors of a memorable visitor experience, self-fulfilment emerged as the consistently stronger predictor across all three measured dimensions: the acquisition of religious knowledge, the formation of emotional attachment to the site, and the degree of cultural learning. These three experiential components were found to be crucial mediators, directly contributing to an enhanced sense of personal self-worth for the visitors. This study’s findings offer a paradigm shift for the management and marketing of religious attractions. To foster truly memorable and meaningful tourism, site managers and destination marketers must look beyond catering to purely devotional needs. Instead, they should focus on creating and promoting holistic experiences that facilitate personal growth, introspection, and cultural immersion, thereby appealing to the universal human drive for self-fulfilment.
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Included in
L2) More Than Faith: Self-Fulfilment as a Key Driver of Memorable Religious Tourism
Monserrat
While traditional perspectives on religious tourism often emphasize faith as the primary motivator, this study challenges that assumption, revealing that the pursuit of self-fulfilment is a more powerful and significant driver of memorable visitor experiences. This research delves into the psychological underpinnings of pilgrimage, seeking to understand what transforms a simple visit into a profoundly impactful journey that enhances a visitor’s sense of self-worth.
To investigate these dynamics, the study adopted the ABC Model of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT). This framework posits that an Activating event (visiting a religious attraction) triggers an individual’s internal Belief system (religiosity and self-fulfilment), which in turn leads to emotional and behavioural Consequences (a memorable experience and heightened self-worth). Data were gathered from 319 visitors at two of Hong Kong’s most prominent pilgrimage sites, Wong Tai Sin Temple and the Big Buddha, which attract a diverse mix of both devout followers and secular tourists. The proposed theoretical model was rigorously tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM 4.0).
The results unequivocally demonstrate that while both religiosity and self-fulfilment are significant predictors of a memorable visitor experience, self-fulfilment emerged as the consistently stronger predictor across all three measured dimensions: the acquisition of religious knowledge, the formation of emotional attachment to the site, and the degree of cultural learning. These three experiential components were found to be crucial mediators, directly contributing to an enhanced sense of personal self-worth for the visitors. This study’s findings offer a paradigm shift for the management and marketing of religious attractions. To foster truly memorable and meaningful tourism, site managers and destination marketers must look beyond catering to purely devotional needs. Instead, they should focus on creating and promoting holistic experiences that facilitate personal growth, introspection, and cultural immersion, thereby appealing to the universal human drive for self-fulfilment.