Health, Wellness & Spiritual Tourism for Quality of Life

Abstract

This article investigates the role of Spirituality, Tourism and Quality of Life in tourist decisions to visit specific places. It is apparent from current global trends that religious based spiritual tourism which enhances the quality of life of many travelers, has become prevalent and is now very popular especially as travelling is becoming far more accessible for many people. World Tourism Organization (2009) asserts that global tourism is one of the fastest growing industries and a core driver when it comes to global economic development. Tourism is regularly analyzed as an expression of human behavior and thus where people go and why they travel there is worth investigating. Tourism marketing and promotion is reflected upon as an essential aspect for successful tourism development. Consequently, all tourism traffic, both local and international, for a wide range of purposes including religious and spiritual purposes, has increased significantly. Accordingly, the profiles of tourists and their perception about spirituality, wellness tourism and quality of life are important considerations when it comes to the effective marketing of tourism products and services.