Religion is historically associated with tourism. Some of our most popular tourist destinations are founded on ancient places of worship: the Temple of Hathor - the Pharaonic Mother Goddess at Dendera  in Upper Egypt; Dodona, location of the oracle devoted to Zeus, in pre-historic Greece, Bodhgaya and other sacred places in India associated with the life and teachings of the  Buddha. Jerusalem, Amritsar, Mount Fuji: pilgrims travelling to these holy places were effectively the world`s first tourists. In fact pilgrim hospices in Europe were the forerunners of modern hotels. And pilgrims are on the move as never before. The collapse of Communism in the former Soviet republics sees people now able to worship legally in churches and at historic shrines. Countries such as Italy, Spain and the Slavic states are experiencing an explosive interest
in the old pilgrim routes subsequent to the 2000<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the birth of Christ.  More than 10 million Christians are expected to visit Lourdes in 2008 for the 150th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary. Muslims performing the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca number three million while the Kumbh Mela held every 12 years in Allahabad  northern India attracted 75 million Hindus on the last occasion in 2001. Joining the colourful melting-pot at Allahabad are tourists staying in luxuriously equipped tents to view but not to participate in the devotional   when river water is elevated to the status of `Divine `

Cultural tourism frequently overlaps places of worship considered to have special artistic merit. Tour groups visiting Chartres Cathedral in France or the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca are notable examples. And somehow, despite the dangers posed by religious extremism, moderate believers are finding new confidence to practise their chosen faith resulting in an emergent interest in undertaking sacred journeys.   Accompanying them are more and more of the `uncommitted`; persons who for various reasons - the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or other emotional setback are seeking somewhere, usually ancient and well trod, offering solace, enlightenment or at least a temporary escape from the stresses of modern life. Delegates to ICORET the first ever international conference on religious tourism hosted by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation in  2006 emphasised that spiritual travel is set to become a tour de force across all age-groups in the 21st century. Cyprus with its rich Christian history and numerous Byzantine churches was an ideal starting point for religious discourse. A World Religious Tourism Association has since been formed  to facilitate the exchange of dialogue between faith groups and travel agents while a charter airline launched by the Vatican in Rome is forecast to carry some 18 million religious tourists visiting sacred Christian sites.

                    SACRED SITES
Since time immemorial, devout believers have built places of worship to celebrate their faith along with shrines and monuments erected to prophets, gurus and saints. Natural phenomena have also been harnessed for worship and ritual and together with man-made edifices many are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List of  items having special cultural and religious significance. While due to their great age some are in ruins, such sacred sites continue to weave their magic on modern-day pilgrims and tourists. Click here

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