Safety, fear, risk, and terrorism in the context of religious tourism

Abstract

This chapter deals conceptually with the terms risk, security, and fear. It then examines the extent to which religious events and religious tourism in general are fertile grounds for terrorism and local violence. Religious mega-events and tourism involve rituals that must be performed safely and carefully. The chapter enumerates the most significant security considerations in planning religious tourism events. It examines the security challenges facing the religious tourism industry. Religious events or festivals are key elements in enhancing social cohesion, narrowing the distance between gods and humankind. The effects of risk in public spectacles depend on at least three variables. The first variable is the threshold of control, or the degree of control society has over the security of an event. The second variable is the probability that a negative event could be repeated in the short term. The second variable is the probability that a negative event could be repeated in the short term.