The importance of religious tourism in regional development: the case of nossa Senhora da Lapa Shrine

Religious tourism in Portugal has been gaining importance, given the quantity and quality of sacred heritage, religious festivities and holy places throughout the country. This type of tourism is more than a visit to sacred places, as it encompasses the entire spiritual and cultural life of residents or those visiting the places for reasons of faith (pilgrims). Among the famous Portuguese sacred places, the Nossa Senhora da Lapa Shrine should be distinguished since it is one of the oldest in Europe. During the Middle Ages, the Lapa Shrine was the second largest pilgrimage center on the Iberian Peninsula. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to analyze the tourism potential of the Lapa Sanctuary and to understand how it will be possible to leverage the local economy. Considering its religious value and its importance in the Portuguese tourism, this studied was aimed to pilgrims who attended the sanctuary in 2014. The purpose was to analyze the influences and the potential that religious tourism can generate in local development. This study shows that religious tourism is the major existing potential in the region and that it can contribute to the development of other tourism products, such as the Gastronomic Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Nature Tourism, among others