Chapter 7: Religion as Destination Attractiveness: A Study on Jammu and Kashmir Tourism

This study investigates the role of religious tourism in enhancing destination attractiveness (DA). Traditionally, the DA represents the set of feelings, beliefs and opinions about a destination’s perceived ability to provide satisfaction. However, using Jammu Kashmir as an example, this study challenges the traditional view of DA and showcases how religious attractions of the destination can also be a source of destination attraction. To achieve the objective, this study utilises desk research whereby qualitative data were gathered from academic articles, government reports, tourism publications and credible media sources. Furthermore, the study adopted thematic analysis to analyse the data. The results identified key themes, including cultural and spiritual significance, economic impacts, infrastructure development and tourist satisfaction. Furthermore, the findings highlight that religious tourism significantly influences Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural preservation, economic growth and infrastructure improvement, thereby enhancing its global appeal.