Mount Athos: development policies for short-term religious tourism

Religious tourism significantly boosts local economic development on Mount Athos, a Christian Orthodox monastic peninsula off Greece's coast. The study highlights how two key activities—day-trip cruises and pilgrimages—contribute to the region's economy despite restrictions on women entering the main monastic area. Cruises, typically lasting three hours, target general tourists, while five-hour pilgrimage voyages allow women to venerate relics from various monasteries. Longitudinal research underscores the economic importance of these activities and proposes policy measures to enhance sustainable development in the broader region.

Kotsi, F. (2012). Mount Athos: development policies for short-term religious tourism. International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, 2(2), 149. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijta.2012.048993