Religious Tourism Development Challenges and Opportunities

This Book is about religious tourism and its challenges as well as opportunities in the case of Lalibela town, Amhara regional state of Ethiopia. Religion is one of the basic motivations for human travel since earlier. Religious tourism can be defined as any form of travel to religious areas like churches, shrines, mosques, and holy places either exclusively or partially for religious reasons. The region is home to different Orthodox Christian Monasteries and churches. Lalibela is typical town where unique monolithic rock hewn churches, which is believed to be built in the 12th century by King Lalibela, are found. These churches and monasteries attract many pilgrims and other tourists throughout a year. This huge flow of international and domestic tourists has visible impacts on the local community, economy and the surrounding environment. Religious tourism development in the town has both opportunities and challenges. These all opportunities and challenges are clearly discussed in the book. Besides, this book delivers important insights about the awareness level of the local community on tourism and its significances and other related issues.