The holy hues of Amritsar: an inquiry into the interplay of religious tourism and sacred space

Abstract

Religious tourism is common in Asia because of the multi-religious nature of Asian culture. However, intriguingly, the terms ‘sacred space’ and ‘tourist space’ are becoming more interchangeable due to the tourism industry's transformation of these holy sites into popular destinations. Moreover, despite the decline during the Covid-19 outbreak, evidence suggests that spirituality has helped people discover new ways to deal with the epidemic, giving religious tourism a new meaning. Focusing on Amritsar in India, this research analyses and contrasts tourists’ perspectives (N = 2,100) who visited Jallianwala Bagh, the Golden Temple, and the Attari Border. Using the paradigm of activity, setting, experience, and benefit, it was discovered that people go to religious sites for diverse reasons. The findings also show that the cognitive advantages are the key outcomes of religious tourism and are frequently overshadowed by spiritual experiences and benefits.

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