Abstract

Religion and spirituality are still amongst the most common motivations for travel. The Middle East is the birthplace and home to some of the most important religions and pilgrimage sites in the world. The Muslim faith with its various sects is the prominent religion amongst Middle East countries, and Islam is the main link between the people of the region. These conditions led to the Middle East being considered a cradle of religious tourism, and also the hub of spiritual, Islamic and halal tourism, all of which have seen remarkable growth in the last few decades. Also because of its natural and cultural diversity, the area has the potential to become a major tourism destination for Muslims from all over the world but, for political, cultural and economic reasons this potential has not yet been fully realised. This chapter describes the ongoing debate and the main issues and implications in the area of Islamic pilgrimage and tourism in the Middle East. It is structured with an introduction to the Middle East region, followed by a general overview of the evolution and recent development of the tourism sector in the region. Next is a section dedicated to Islamic tourism and pilgrimages and, finally, a discussion of the importance of these issues closes the chapter.