Religious tourism fuels economic growth in Europe’s pilgrimage towns

Religious tourism has become a powerful economic force in pilgrimage destinations across Europe, with towns like Međugorje, Fatima, and Lourdes attracting millions of visitors each year.

This week, the Vatican granted official approval for religious pilgrimages to Međugorje, a village in southern Bosnia where children claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary. Although the Church has not authenticated the apparitions as supernatural, it sanctioned public acts of devotion at the site, recognizing the profound spiritual impact of visiting. Such approval is significant not only for its religious validation but also for boosting local economies, as religious tourism thrives on accommodations, guides, and transportation, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Međugorje joins other major Catholic pilgrimage destinations like Fatima in Portugal and Lourdes in France, where Marian apparitions have been declared authentic by the Vatican. Since 1981, when six children reported seeing visions of the Madonna in Međugorje, the site has attracted millions of believers.

Last year alone, the shrine distributed 1.7 million Eucharistic wafers, reflecting the vast number of visitors. Religious tourism is a flourishing industry, with millions traveling each year for spiritual reasons. In Fatima, pilgrims gather on the 13th of each month from May to October, while Lourdes is famous for its healing waters at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, where pilgrims seek cures and blessings. Over the years, local bishops and Vatican officials have expressed skepticism about the credibility and intentions of the 'seers' in Međugorje, raising concerns that economic motives might be behind their ongoing claims of visions. 

By Naila Huseynova