African traditional religions in the Caribbean and Brazil: models of religious tourism and impacts of commodification

Abstract

African traditional religions (ATRs) in the Caribbean and Brazil are currently undergoing processes of transformation and commodification due to the influx of religious tourism. This research note reflects preliminary findings on the marketing of ATRs in four locales: Santería (Cuba), Candomblé (Brazil), Vodou (Haiti), and Orisha (Trinidad). Methods employed include participant observation, data collection, and textual analysis. This research can assist in assessing the overall impact tourism has on ATRs, potentially influencing public policy on tourism development in the region, as well assisting religious communities to define how and why they engage in tourism, and what forms their tourism product will take. Further research is necessary to track ongoing trends and new developments, particularly where areas of cultural resistance are evident, and more ethical ways of marketing the sacred are being adopted.

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