Polyxeni Moira
Polyxeni Moira holds a PhD in Sociology from Panteion University of Political and Social Sciences, Greece. She has BA degrees a) in Public Administration, b) International and European Studies and c) Communication and Mass Media. She also holds MSc in Regional Development and in Pedagogy. She has been teaching at higher education over the last 20 years. She is currently a Professor (Sociology of Tourism) at the Department of Tourism Management at the University of West Attica in Greece. She was also a Visiting Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University of Ioannina, Harokopeion University, Aegean University and the Hellenic Open University. She has published more than 20 scientific books in the field of tourism and articles in more than 50 international and Greek journals.
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favourable conditions for survival and productivity. In contrast, mountainous regions, with their
difficult accessibility and dangers, were initially avoided. However, mountains have always been
revered as sacred in various religions and hold profound significance for humanity as places for
physical, emotional, and spiritual exercise or relaxation. Since the 1860s, mountain tourism has
emerged from human interaction with mountains, reflecting the evolution of human behaviour.
Mountain tourism is studied across various scientific fields, intersects with other niches, such as
sports, hiking, religion, adventure, and health tourism, and involves tourists, locals, entrepreneurs,
and volunteers. The literature research reveals conflicting approaches in proposed methods, such
as prioritizing funding for modern infrastructure versus fostering empathy and human
connections. Additionally, the terminology of mountain tourism is ambiguous and includes
expressions such as active, smart, responsible, ecological, and meaningful tourism. This study aims
to identify the core principles of mountain tourism to clarify these conflicts and promote a holistic
approach to challenges like sustainable development and seasonality.
Greek traditional lighthouses, the most historical and impressive component of the Hellenic Lighthouse Network (HLN), are no exemption to the rule. They are registered ‘Monuments of Modern Cultural Heritage’ and define an almost unexplored yet appealing zone of intersection between theology, mythology, history and technology. This is one of the reasons why they have been gaining loyal followers - their popularity is increasing among occasional visitors and researchers from different disciplines.
This paper aims to explain the potential of Greek lighthouses as spiritual tourism destinations. It focuses on the origins and development of the current HLN, analyses the spiritual dimensions of lighthouse scenery, morphology and semiology, and presents examples of specific lighthouse areas in Greece that are indicative of the connection under discussion. Critical stakeholders’ suggestions are cited, while various approaches to terms such as ‘spirituality’ or ‘spiritual tourism’ are examined through a brief literature review.
The paper is a part of a PhD project being conducted in the Department of Tourism Management, University of West Attica, Greece, which is expected to contribute to dialogue on the valorization of Greek lighthouses in a cultural tourism context.
The present study examines the organisation and management of four different Passion Plays that take place in the European and American continents. In particular, the Passion Plays in Oberammergau, Germany, in Sordevolo, Italy, in Škofja Loka, Slovenia, and in New Jerusalem, Brazil are studied. Answers are sought to questions concerning their function as a religious event or a tourist activity or a combination of both. Furthermore, the opinions of both religious people and secular visitors are explored, regarding whether the authentic character of the events is maintained or whether it tends to be turned into a ‘performance’, or ‘spectacle,’ aiming to attract the attention of tourists.
various rituals (e.g. religious services) in which a community of believers is involved. Ritualistic
religious acts include prayers, hymns, dances, use or abstinence from food, fasting, use of symbols,
lighting a candle, offering food or flowers to a deity, etc. Religious worship rituals are performed
individually by a person or collectively by groups of believers. The formal rituals are ceremonies
which take place in sacred places such as churches, temples, mosques, pagodas (depending on
religion). The informal rituals are festive events (e.g., fairs, festivals, processions, etc.) and take
place on specific dates that symbolise an important incident for the believer (e.g., the appearance of
a deity or its envoy, the performance of a miracle, dormition of a holy person, etc.). The celebration
of a patron saint or the Virgin Mary is usually accompanied by a religious and social fair. These fairs
are very popular throughout Greece especially during the summer. Beyond the general concept of
national character, the religious fairs dedicated to Virgin Mary comprise a multitude of events that
reflect the local culture of each region.
This study describes the actual process of the fair (Panigiri) dedicated to the Sifnos island
patron Saint Panagia Chrissopighi (Our Lady of the Golden Spring), which is held every year on
Ascension Day (40th day after the Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday). The 16th century monastery
Panagia Chrissopigi stands at the south-eastern part of the island. More specifically, the tradition
of ‘Panigiras’ (the organiser of the fair who is responsible for the expenses and the festivities) is
examined. The data collection method is participant observation. For the celebration of the Virgin
Mary of Chrissopigi, the custom of ‘panigiras’ originates from the unwritten rules of tradition,
which shows the deep-seated religious sentiment of the inhabitants of Sifnos island, in the Cyclades,
Greece. The custom of ‘panigiras’ has a dual nature - religious and cultural. The religious component
(pilgrimage) continues to be of great importance to the local community of Sifnos, but at the same
time it offers a remarkable cultural dimension for visitors to the island (religious tourists).
διακοπών. Συχνά όμως η πεζοπορία αποτελεί το κύριο κίνητρο της πραγματοποίησης του ταξιδιού. Για τη διεξαγωγή της πεζοπορίας ως δραστηριότητας αναψυχής απαιτείται όχι μόνο η ύπαρξη κατάλληλων πεζοπορικών μονοπατιών αλλά και η θέσπιση σαφούς θεσμικού πλαισίου. Στη μελέτη αυτή αναλύεται διαχρονικά το θεσμικό πλαίσιο της πεζοπορίας ως δραστηριότητας υπαίθριας αναψυχής.
A significant dimension of cultural tourism is the expression of interest in cultural monuments and cultural activities with a religious character. Of course, in this form of cultural tourism, a distinction should be made between ‘pilgrim’ and ‘tourist’ as the concepts of ‘pilgrimage’ and ‘tourism’ are incompatible, at least taking into consideration the content which the term ‘tourism’ has acquired today in the western societies of consumerism.
The distinction between the pilgrim and the religious tourist has been an issue under study for many years by the scientific community. The reason for this is that depending on the space (religious or secular) in which individuals circulate, their needs, their desires and their behaviours are being shaped while travelling.
It seems that they are two different social phenomena whose common element is religiousness regardless if this is active or inactive. Thus culture and tourism create a ‘symbiotic’ and ‘complementary’ relation. These social phenomena are: a) pilgrimage, where the spiritual element of faith dominates and which is manifested under the appropriate conditions characterized by spirituality, austerity, abstinence, observance of the ritual, spiritual preparation etc.; b) religious tourism as a subcategory of cultural tourism, where the religious element of the site or the event is valorized in tourism terms as cultural heritage. The cultural parameter becomes a common component of tourism and religion.
We often witness religious sites or events with religious content which have removed the spiritual element of the pilgrimage and simply function as cultural sites and as sites for cultural events. The religious element shrinks and stops identifying the site, which turns into a cultural attraction for any visitor regardless of religion. In this way, a tourist flow is created based on religion (religious tourism) as an element of culture falling under ‘cultural tourism’.
Religious tourism valorizes various resources with a religio-cultural character. In this paper we try to categorize the religio-cultural resources, Greece being the field of reference. This paper aims at making a categorization–typology of the religious-cultural resources of Greece on the basis of some common features and suggestions about their more rational valorization will be made.