Pilgrimages to Sacred Sites as Tourism Essay -- Tourism

In discussing the lieupoint that pilgrimage to sacred site is a form of tourism there are definite terms that require definition pilgrimage, sacred and tourism. The Oxford English Dictionary, (OED, 2012) defines pilgrimage as a journey undertaken to a place of particular significance or enkindle. It is usually as an act of religious devotion, homage and respect and those on a pilgrimage are referred to as Pilgrims. Waterhouse (2009, p199) defines religion as a remains of practices, institutions and beliefs that provide meaning to life and death. Waterhouses definition not only encompasses the five main religions but also the various sub divisions and alternate religions. Tourism is defined by OED (2012) as the theory and practice of touring, travelling for pleasure and thus a person on tour is defined as a tourist. The OED (2012) defines sacred as dedicated, set apart, exclusively appropriated to some person or some special purpose.This essay provide discuss the view that pilgr image to sacred sites is a form of tourism by outlining the debates surrounding sacred sites and between different factions. The essay will then apply these arguments and ideas to Stonehenge and Avebury. It will also look at the associations of Pilgrimage and Tourism within the ideologies surrounding leisure and their application to Glastonbury. The definition of sacred as a place break dance from the secular world has different connotations and meaning for different individuals and groups. The main academic argument is between the ideas that the site is inherently sacred or is the product of kind-hearted effort. Eliade (1961) argues that the manifestation of something of a wholly different order, a reality that does not belong to our world in objects tha... ...ity, pp.10-34Pike, J. (2008), Leisure, Laziness and feeling good, in Brunton, D. (ed), model and Leisure AA100 Book 4, Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.3-10Reader, I. (2012), Pilgrims and Pilgrimage place and Journ ey in Cultures and Faiths Worldwide, available from http//www.york.ac.uk/projects/pilgrimage/content/faiths.html accessed on the 11/5/12Sacred Space and Landscape (2008) (aa100DVD Video), Milton Keynes, The Open UniversityThe Open University (2008), AA100 Illustration Book (Plates for Books 3 and 4), Milton Keynes, The Open University. Waterhouse , H. (2009), The Dalai Lama, in Moohan, E (ed), Reputations AA100 Book 1, Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.197-229Wolffe, J. (2008), tradition and Dissent in English Christianity in Price, C (ed), Tradition and Dissent AA100 Book 2, Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp71-106