The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on tourism and Catholic religious destinations

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on religious destinations ever since its outbreak was reported from Wuhan, China in 2019. The aim of this paper is to diagnose the impact Covid-19 pandemic has had on tourism and religious destinations. Empirical evidence elucidates that the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on tourism and religious destinations. For example, Christianity, social beliefs and values of individuals, pilgrims were threatened, and faith tested during the pandemic. As such, the aim of this paper is to diagnose the impact that was endured by the Catholic religious destinations in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. This is notwithstanding the fact that some religious destinations have not fully recovered even though they are operating. In this study, qualitative approach was employed, unstructured interviews conducted, and systematic sampling randomly done at the pilgrimage destinations visited. Furthermore, NViVo 12 plus was used to transcribe the responses from the participants. The study elucidates on the sufferings endured by pilgrims who annually visited these religious destinations. The rituals such as that of the Catholic venerating the Virgin Mother Mary every month of October was halted. The discussions of the study focus on the elements of Christianity and social value that were compromised because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Religion and social value theory is reflected on in this discussion. The findings indicate a descriptive analysis of how Covid-19 impacted on the religious destinations of the study area. Lastly, the strategies for the religious and pilgrimage destinations post Covid-19 pandemic to survive are suggested and discussed in this chapter.