Tourism, Heritage and Pilgrimage: The Case of Haifa's Bahá'í Gardens

Abstract

This paper examines the tourist experience within the context of the Bahá'í Gardens in Haifa, Israel. Using Cohen's (1979) typology and Smith's (1992) continuum model, we differentiate between visitors and perceptions of the same site. The study employs a mixed methodological approach that includes participant-observation, archival documents and short-informal and unstructured interviews with Bahá'í volunteers, tourists and guides, as well as empirical observations concerning the material landscape and the observed practices of pilgrims and tourists. As a result of the garden's dual-purpose nature (secular-religious), two very different experiences co-exist: those that relate to the 'secular' and those that relate to the 'religious' tourist. The contemporary nature of the garden makes the case of the Bahá'í Gardens and its cultural and economic context both more distinct -but also somewhat ambiguous as the perceived boundaries are unclear.

Understanding tourists in religious destinations: A social distance perspective

“…The Ganges River, St Peter's Basilica, the Salt Lake Temple, Borobudur and Prambanan, Angkor Wat, Old Jerusalem, the Taj Mahal and the Baha'i Gardens are world-class examples of attractions for religious and secular tourists (Collins-Kreiner & Gatrell, 2006;Olsen, 2009;Shinde, 2008). However, it should be noted that not all sacred sites that appeal to religious adherents and pilgrims necessarily entice general cultural tourists.…”

The Potential for Northern Ireland to Promote Politico-Religious Tourism: An Industry Perspective

“…Thus, religious sites are simultaneously sacred and secular as they are visited by both pilgrims and religious travelers and tourists (Collins-Kreiner & Gatrell, 2006). V. L. Smith (1992), in order to conceptualize the varying relationship between pilgrims and tourists, placed them on a continuum (see Figure 1).…”

El turismo religioso en distintas zonas geográficas de España: características de los turistas

“…Varios estudios han revelado que la mayoría de los visitantes en destinos religiosos viven experiencias que se sitúan en el punto medio del modelo de Smith, sin que se trate por tanto de experiencias religiosas devotas ni de experiencias puramente seculares (Collins-Kreiner y Gatrell, 2006). No obstante, hay que considerar también que no todos los destinos sagrados atraen por igual a ambos, turistas y peregrinos (Olsen y Timothy, 2006).…”