Religious tourism as a special type of socio-cultural activity

At present, many religious sites get their original meaning and become the objects of worship and knowledge. At the same time, the article reveals the concepts of "pilgrimage" and "religious tourism" and defines their differences. The author provides the methodological basis for the organization of religious tourism. Recently, the importance of tourism in the life of modern society has increased. The tourism development is connected not only with educational goals, but also with personal growth and cultural enrichment. Today, tourism is rapidly developing, and people have begun to travel consciously for educational, religious, and recreational purposes. This service sector has become a unique global industry, and tourism resources are considered an element of the national wealth of many states. Religious tourism has recently been included in the list of available types of tourism adopted by the World Tourism Organization. Tourism universities do not train specialists in this field. At the same time, the religious tourism development reviles the ancient traditions of worshipping holy places. Pilgrimage and travel have become extremely popular in recent years.