Reflections of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage on religious stores in Mugla-Turkey

Abstract

Islam’s Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages comprise two of the oldest forms of religious tourism. Hajj and Umrah have some specific features which come from the Holy Quran and thus, those individuals wanting to participate in the pilgrimages have a number of needs and requirements, both before and after their journey. Therefore, this study is intended to present a profile of religious stores based on a tourist’s origin and destination. It concentrates on a relatively less studied component of pilgrimage tourism, this being religious stores, which mainly cater for potential pilgrims of Hajj and Umrah. These stores provide a contribution to the local economy even though this contribution cannot be readily quantified. The research was undertaken in the province of Mugla, Turkey, this being a popular mass tourism destination. The chain referral method was used in making the sample. In total, seventeen religious stores were identified as the sample for study. Questionnaires and interviews were undertaken to aid the data collection process. Data obtained from the owners of the stores were analysed and highlighted. © International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage