Media and Tourism in Shaping Sacred Sites: Empirical Insights From African Pilgrimage Destinations

Abstract

In the digital era, social media plays a crucial role in shaping tourist preferences and behaviours, particularly in pilgrimage tourism. Social media platforms shape destination selections and enrich the overall travel experience through user-generated content. This paper explores a shifting demand characteristic in pilgrimage tourism due to the rise of the experience economy and widespread social media use. It also examines the managerial implications and strategic use of social media marketing in promoting religious sites. A quantitative research design was employed, using numerical data to draw conclusions. Primary data was collected through a standardised questionnaire completed by 450 respondents, supplemented by interviews. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS Version 29, applying descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate methods. The findings were anticipated to highlight social media's significant impact on pilgrimage tourism, particularly in influencing destination image and motivating travel behaviour. The study adds to existing literature by focusing on sub-Saharan pilgrimage destinations, a region often underrepresented in tourism studies. It recommends leveraging social media tools as effective strategies for promoting pilgrimage destinations and engaging potential visitors.