Location
Monserrat
Start Date
25-6-2026 9:30 AM
End Date
25-6-2026 11:00 AM
Description
This paper examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping pilgrimage tourism in India by mediating the practical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of sacred travel. While AI is increasingly used in tourism for personalised recommendations, multilingual assistance, predictive crowd management, virtual interpretation and service automation, its application in religious travel requires deeper cultural and ethical reflection. Using India’s large and diverse pilgrimage ecosystem as the focal context, the paper argues that AI should not be treated merely as a tool for efficiency, but as a socio-technical mediator that influences access, authenticity, ritual participation, trust and post-journey meaning-making.
The paper proposes a Human-Centred Sacred Technology Framework for AI-enabled pilgrimage tourism, connecting five interdependent dimensions: accessibility, authenticity, safety, sustainability and spiritual dignity. It further explores how AI may support inclusive pilgrimage planning, crowd-sensitive site management, virtual participation for elderly and differently abled pilgrims, and responsible communication across multilingual and multifaith settings. At the same time, it critically addresses risks concerning surveillance, algorithmic bias, religious misinformation, data privacy, commercialisation and the possible weakening of human connection. The paper contributes a future-oriented pilgrimage perspective on responsible AI adoption in religious tourism while preserving the sacred essence of pilgrimage in increasingly technology-mediated sacred journeys worldwide and locally.
Creative Commons License
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Included in
B3) AI-Enabled Religious Pilgrimage: A Human Centred Sacred Framework for Authenticity and Responsible Transformation
Monserrat
This paper examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping pilgrimage tourism in India by mediating the practical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of sacred travel. While AI is increasingly used in tourism for personalised recommendations, multilingual assistance, predictive crowd management, virtual interpretation and service automation, its application in religious travel requires deeper cultural and ethical reflection. Using India’s large and diverse pilgrimage ecosystem as the focal context, the paper argues that AI should not be treated merely as a tool for efficiency, but as a socio-technical mediator that influences access, authenticity, ritual participation, trust and post-journey meaning-making.
The paper proposes a Human-Centred Sacred Technology Framework for AI-enabled pilgrimage tourism, connecting five interdependent dimensions: accessibility, authenticity, safety, sustainability and spiritual dignity. It further explores how AI may support inclusive pilgrimage planning, crowd-sensitive site management, virtual participation for elderly and differently abled pilgrims, and responsible communication across multilingual and multifaith settings. At the same time, it critically addresses risks concerning surveillance, algorithmic bias, religious misinformation, data privacy, commercialisation and the possible weakening of human connection. The paper contributes a future-oriented pilgrimage perspective on responsible AI adoption in religious tourism while preserving the sacred essence of pilgrimage in increasingly technology-mediated sacred journeys worldwide and locally.