Although secularism is growing in many regions of the world, the spirituality market is more active than ever. The creation and exploitation of products associated with spiritual themes has become very profitable.
In the United States alone, the market value of religious organizations in 2022 was about $156 billion. And in the Asia-Pacific region the religious market, worth more than $5 billion in 2022, could reach almost $16 billion in 2033.
Much of these benefits come from spiritual tourism, which includes pilgrimages to sites of faith, spiritual retreats, tourists visiting religious spaces for their historical or cultural value, museums, and periodic or one-off events, such as World Youth Days or tours. papal powers, in the case of the Catholic religion. Some 600 million travelers around the world practice spiritual tourism.
Hippiescountercultural and mystical
50 years ago the counterculture hippie He proposed a spirituality different from that which the great religions proposed until then. The movement used meditation as a form of self-knowledge and self-control. This proposal was well received by many of the musical idols of the time, including the Beatles.
“The Liverpool 4” helped change Western culture’s perception of Indian spirituality when, in 1968, at the height of their popularity, they held a spiritual retreat in the ashram (a Hindu meditation and teaching place) by Guru Mahesh Prasad Varma. This generated the desire of thousands of young people to experience this type of experiences.
Under the influence of this mystical experience, the Beatles composed songs such as “Mother Nature’s Son”, “Sexy Sadie”, “All You Need is Love”, “Across the Universe” or “My Sweet Lord”, among others.
A non-religious spirituality
Interest in the mystical world, which is not necessarily related to religious beliefs, has opened the way to other ways of seeking emotional health such as reiki, yoga, transcendental meditation and acupuncture. All of them have generated a huge market of consumers who pay for in-person or online classes, sessions in healing centers, training courses and materials or accessories related to the practice.
If we focus on the market of yoga practitioners, they have at their disposal special mats and mats for their practice, non-slip socks, clothing, cushions, blocks, straps, among many other products. For this reason, brands such as Adidas, Fila, Puma or Reebok have been interested in this segment which, according to the study carried out by Expert Reports, had a market value in 2022 of 105.9 billion dollars. And it is expected to reach $177.6 billion in 2028.
Audiovisual spirituality
The film industry has not been immune to expectations of spirituality. the movie Eat, pray, lovewhich is about its protagonist’s journey of self-discovery, grossed more than $200 million at the box office.
On the platforms of streaming You can find a wide variety of titles on spiritual topics: from the use of ayahuasca as a means to free the spirit to mystical pilgrimages in search of self-knowledge. Series like For better (or worse) and goop labwith Gwyneth Paltrow, document the wellness industry, showing different techniques – mostly with mystical aspects – that people turn to in search of physical and emotional health.
The Chilean film of 2011 God save me is a satirical comedy of what is known as religious broadcasting.
Virtually all religious doctrines have used this form of communication. However, the new mystical beliefs have made a business out of the technology, with programs to help their members through apps and supportive but paid phone calls.
Tourist and religious experience
One of the religious destinations that is an example of success in terms of tourist product and marketing is the Camino de Santiago, an ancient Christian pilgrimage route to visit the tomb of the apostle of the same name in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, in the northwest of Spain.
Nowadays, not everyone who walks the path does so because of their beliefs. According to the official Pilgrim Reception Office portal, only 45% of those who have traveled through it so far in 2023 have done so for purely religious reasons. The success of the route is such that it attracts tourists from 165 countries.
To plan the pilgrimage, in addition to travel agencies, there are digital portals where you can schedule each stage and reserve accommodation for the entire route. There is even a website that offers a virtual version of the pilgrimage. He Camino de Santiago Virtual Challenge It has 772 kilometers and each participant decides the time in which they will travel them. Upon payment, those who complete all stages within the stipulated time receive a medal in recognition of their pilgrimage.
