1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Lotus-Eaters, Pilgrims, Seekers, and Accidental Tourists: How Different Travelers Consume the Sacred and the Profane
Author(s)
Abstract

Travelers visit destinations that are associated with organized religion for a variety of reasons. Building on Cohen's (2003) work, we categorize visitors to “religious” travel destinations as: (1) seekers who intend to visit both religious and secular tourist sites, (2) lotus-eaters who intend to visit only secular tourist sites, (3) pilgrims who intend to visit only religious tourist sites, and (4) accidental tourists who intend to visit neither type of tourist site. We use these four types of tourists to accomplish three aims: (1) explain each type of traveler, (2) explain the interaction between religious and secular elements at travel sites, and (3) provide guidelines for attracting each type of traveler.
Format
Article
Identifier(s)
10.1080/15332960802619181
Publication Date
2009-01-01
Publication Title
Services Marketing Quarterly
Volume
30
Issue
2
First Page
148
Last Page
173
Keywords
Subject
Community
Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Permalink https://oaks.kent.edu/mrktentrpubs/8
Finney, R., Orwig, R., & Spake, D. (2009). Lotus-Eaters, Pilgrims, Seekers, and Accidental Tourists: How Different Travelers Consume the Sacred and the Profane. Services Marketing Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332960802619181
Finney, R., Robert Orwig, and Deborah Spake. 2009. “Lotus-Eaters, Pilgrims, Seekers, and Accidental Tourists: How Different Travelers Consume the Sacred and the Profane”. Services Marketing Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332960802619181.
Finney, R., R. Orwig, and D. Spake. Lotus-Eaters, Pilgrims, Seekers, and Accidental Tourists: How Different Travelers Consume the Sacred and the Profane. Services Marketing Quarterly, 1 Jan. 2009, doi:10.1080/15332960802619181.