A new perspective of non-religious motivations of visitors to sacred sites: evidence from Romania

Abstract The religious tourism phenomenon arouses the interest of many researchers and practitioners, but few concentrated on the non- religious motivation of religious travelers. Using a questionnaire based on the model, more than 1600 Orthodox people from Romania who visited a monastery in the last two years were asked to evaluate the non-religious purpose of their visits. The analytical results showed that visitors are mainly motivated by a self-actualization need, namely their desire to become better persons. The paper offers a basis for a new and alternative approach of religious travel and a better understanding of the target market of this special form of tourism gradually on the rise.