Development Prospects of Hotels for Pilgrims of Russian Orthodox Monasteries and the Specifi city of Their Promotion

In the modern world, travel has become not only a way to relax and have a good time, but also an opportunity to enrich one’s knowledge, make new acquaintances, find harmony, and gain insight into oneself, often coinciding with important events or holidays. Pilgrimages to monasteries, as the most dynamic and expanding aspect of religious tourism, are becoming increasingly common, and the need for accommodation, as a crucial component of any trip, is growing. In the article, the authors analyze the features of pilgrimage (religious) tourism, reveal the age structure of travelers to monasteries, and examine the model of guest service in a monastery hotel. The article summarizes the specific features of hotels for pilgrims, taking into account their location, service specifics, guest categories, and internal rules and regulations. In the course of the study, the authors identified the lack of a generalized database of accommodation facilities in monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church and the shortage of qualified personnel in this area, despite the existence of a stable growing demand and the actual and potential capacity of monasteries to meet this demand. The authors conclude that understanding, knowledge, and the use of tourist motives in religious travel can lead to the active promotion of the hotel industry and contribute to the successful development and popularization of this tourist destination.