Location
Monserrat
Start Date
26-6-2026 12:30 PM
End Date
26-6-2026 2:00 PM
Description
Pilgrimage is a practice common to all major religions, involving a journey undertaken for spiritual or religious purposes towards a sacred site (Smith, 1992). Considered a forerunner of modern tourism (Di Giovine & Elsner, 2016; pilgrimage today is experiencing a notable phase of rejuvenation (Collins-Kreiner, 2016), increasingly marked by personal quests for meaning and spirituality (Trono, 2015). Beyond its religious and spiritual dimension, pilgrimage has been revitalised globally as a form of outdoor and slow tourism. The growing development of both historical and contemporary routes has captured the attention of policymakers, who increasingly recognise their potential for fostering local development, particularly in rural and less-visited areas (Gasparini, 2024).
This contribution examines the role of pilgrimage routes in territorial governance processes. Drawing on key geographical concepts, such as territory, scale, and governance, it explores how pilgrimage routes function as complex networks of actors operating across multiple spatial scales (local, regional, national, transnational). We argue that these routes can serve as effective tools for sustainable development when supported by well-structured, multi-stakeholder governance frameworks, bringing together public authorities, private operators, civil society, and religious institutions while balancing economic, cultural, and spiritual interests.
The reflections presented build on the authors’ previous research and professional engagement, illustrated through two consolidated transnational pilgrimage networks: The Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena. The discussion highlights how governance arrangements, cross-border cooperation, and territorial anchoring allow these routes to contribute to rural development, cultural valorisation, and the strengthening of local identities. We conclude by underscoring the importance of inclusive governance, stakeholder coordination, and collective action to ensure pilgrimage routes evolve as sustainable territorial development models.
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Included in
I1) Ancient Pilgrimage Routes as Tools for Durable Territorial Development: Case study of Camino de Santiago
Monserrat
Pilgrimage is a practice common to all major religions, involving a journey undertaken for spiritual or religious purposes towards a sacred site (Smith, 1992). Considered a forerunner of modern tourism (Di Giovine & Elsner, 2016; pilgrimage today is experiencing a notable phase of rejuvenation (Collins-Kreiner, 2016), increasingly marked by personal quests for meaning and spirituality (Trono, 2015). Beyond its religious and spiritual dimension, pilgrimage has been revitalised globally as a form of outdoor and slow tourism. The growing development of both historical and contemporary routes has captured the attention of policymakers, who increasingly recognise their potential for fostering local development, particularly in rural and less-visited areas (Gasparini, 2024).
This contribution examines the role of pilgrimage routes in territorial governance processes. Drawing on key geographical concepts, such as territory, scale, and governance, it explores how pilgrimage routes function as complex networks of actors operating across multiple spatial scales (local, regional, national, transnational). We argue that these routes can serve as effective tools for sustainable development when supported by well-structured, multi-stakeholder governance frameworks, bringing together public authorities, private operators, civil society, and religious institutions while balancing economic, cultural, and spiritual interests.
The reflections presented build on the authors’ previous research and professional engagement, illustrated through two consolidated transnational pilgrimage networks: The Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena. The discussion highlights how governance arrangements, cross-border cooperation, and territorial anchoring allow these routes to contribute to rural development, cultural valorisation, and the strengthening of local identities. We conclude by underscoring the importance of inclusive governance, stakeholder coordination, and collective action to ensure pilgrimage routes evolve as sustainable territorial development models.