In a society of religiosity and spiritualism, it’s no surprise that religious travel alone and the faith tourism industry produces about $18 billion and includes approximately 300 million travellers.
What Counts As Religious Travel?
Religious travel and tourism include: pilgrimages, missionary trips, rituals, conferences, retreats, volunteer trips, religious camps, spiritual getaways, cruises, and leisure vacations. Many travels, events, or activities that incorporate faith-based purposes, businesses, and sites are considered religious travel, but are very likely also multi-purpose endeavours.
Top Religious Travel Destinations Worldwide
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 8) Bodh Gaya & Mahabodhi Temple, India. This is the spot where the Buddha attained Enlightenment. As the most sacred Buddhist site, the Mahabodhi Temple receives millions of visitors each year. |
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 7) Varanasi, India. This city is considered Hinduism’s holiest cities and sits by the Ganges river. It is thought that the Hindu deity Shiva once lived here, and so approximately 1 million pilgrims and believers come to wash themselves in the river to cleanse themselves of sin. |
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 6) Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia. Every Muslim who is able physically and financially, is required to complete the “hajj” or pilgrimage to Mecca near the end of their lifetime. 2 million and more are making the pilgrimage, and are accompanied by 2 million other visitors during that time. |
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 5) Jerusalem, Israel. 1.5 million visitors come to Jerusalem annually from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths, and just as many simply interested tourists. Jerusalem is an important place for many faiths and is also the city in which many religious relics are found, including: the Wailing Wall (or Western Wall), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock, and al Aqsa Mosque. |
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 4) Sabarimala – Kerala, India. This destination is a Hindu pilgrimage center in the Western Ghat mountain range of India. It is also the home to the Sastha temple, and draws in approximately 10 million or more visitors per year. |
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 3) Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris, France. With a deeply rooted history in France and the Catholic Church since the 12th century, this site draws 13 million visitors annually. |
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 2) Sensoji Temple – Tokyo, Japan. Built sometime after 628, this Buddhist Temple was built in honour of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy and happiness. 30 million people visit to seek favour from Kannon throughout the year. |
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 1) Vatican City, Rome. The center of belief for the Roman Catholic Church and residence of the Pope, 18 million visitors come every year to try and catch the glimpse of the Pope and take a tour through the Sistine Chapel, underground museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica. |