"Segmentation, Consumer Behavior, and Management in Religious Destinations"

Abstract

"The research focused on uncovering what drives individuals to participate in religious tourism, classifying different types of visitors based on these motivations, analyzing how these segments relate to satisfaction and loyalty. The investigation took place in Tarija, Bolivia, amid the annual Pilgrimage honoring the Virgin of Chaguaya, drawing insights from 373 surveyed participants. Researchers employed techniques such as k-means clustering and factor analysis to interpret the data. From the study, four primary motivational themes emerged: the desire for travel and a break from routine, the pursuit of spiritual encounters, expressions of faith, and shopping interests. Based on these, three distinct visitor profiles were identified: those driven by diverse motives, casual or less-involved tourists, and highly devout attendees. Notably, the most devout group demonstrated the greatest levels of satisfaction and commitment to returning, closely followed by the segment with multiple reasons for attending. These insights offer practical recommendations for organizers of faith-based events and enrich the scholarly conversation around religious tourism behavior. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026."