ABSTRACT
Through a belief by some in a higher being(s), religion influences people’s relationships to places and has an influence on the place itself through physical features, and further guides many people in terms of not only how they behave but also what they do. This chapter examines the fostering of religious sense of place, by looking into how religion, through the physical features of places and the socialisation that occurs in such spaces, contributes to a sense of place among pilgrims and other visitors. Discussion is extended to the relationships between spirituality and sense of place, as well as the ‘holy mess’ that exists between tourism, religion, spirituality, and sense of place. In evaluating new concepts such as place spirituality and spiritual attachment in the understanding how religion and spirituality contribute to sense of place, this chapter also highlights the role of religiosity (intrinsic and extrinsic) in guiding visitor behaviours.
