Transmogrification of pilgrim sites and religious congregations into spiritual and recreational centers has been attracting the attention of both marketing scholars and destination managers. While managers have been grappling with issues ranging from overcrowding to pollution, the researchers have been exploring the nebulous boundaries between pilgrimage and tourism. Given the unique cultural dynamics and socio-economic environment of India, the proposed study presents an interesting contrast to the Western marketing literature, which rarely factored in the ancient tradition of Hinduism and invigorating symbolism at its sacred sites. We believe our study contributes to the burgeoning literature on the pilgrim-tourist experience.

During the first phase of our research study, we explored the key factors that have a bearing on pilgrim-tourist experience at Hindu sacred sites. We employed ‘Interactive Qualitative Analysis’, which provides insightful analysis of interconnected systems by identifying primary/secondary drivers and outcomes as well as their interrelationships. In the second phase of the study, we analyzed the attributes of mass pilgrimage destinations with tools such as Impact–Range Performance Analysis, Impact Asymmetry Analysis, and Importance Performance Analysis. Based on the three-factor theory of satisfaction, the main objective of the study is to identify the satisfiers and dissatisfiers and their impact on overall satisfaction in pilgrimage destinations. In the final phase of the study, we focused on the conceptualization of the holistic pilgrimage experience by developing the framework of influential factors and outcomes. The framework revealed the influence of internal and external factors on experience quality and overall pilgrimage satisfaction with the support of Attribution theory. The hypothesized linkages are tested using Structural Equation Modelling.

Theoretical contributions and practical implications for destination management, temple management, and policy planners will be presented based on the study findings.