The forthcoming canonisation of Pedro Calungsod – the 17th century martyr from Cebu and the second Filipino saint – in the Vatican City on October 21 has been a boost to faith-based travel in the Philippines, a perennially strong outbound segment in the predominantly Catholic country.
“You’d be surprised at how much money Filipinos have when it comes to touring religious places. Travellers come from all places, even from provinces as far as Mindanao,” said a source from Catholic Travel, a travel agency owned by the Archdiocese of Manila.
The Church and its parishes in the Philippines are ready markets for the pilgrimages. A pilgrimage chaplain, usually a priest, is typically assigned to celebrate the daily mass during the faith-based tour to Christian hotspots, including the Holy Land in Israel and the Vatican City in Italy, and places associated with the apparitions of Mary – mother of Jesus Christ – such as Fatima in Portugal and Lourdes in France.
New destinations include the Our Lady of Knock apparition site in Ireland, and Georgia and Armenia. “Those looking for new places to discover will go to Armenia and Georgia, where there are a lot of old monasteries and churches,” said Sef Lam, director of Hong Kong’s Via Vai Travel, which also serves the Philippine market.
“People have been to Italy and Israel, so they are now following the footsteps of the apostles who brought Christianity to other lands,” she explained.
Itineraries have also seen new combinations in recent days. The Vatican City is being offered with Eastern Europe, other Italian destinations or Schengen countries. Many tours are also customised to the need of the clients.
This article was first published in TTG Asia, October 19, 2012 on page 6. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
