In Mexico, tourism and religion have had a long history of overlapping in various forms. A recent congress for “religious tourism†in Cancun has drawn some attention to how these may be important for Mexico real estate buyers.
First of all, “religious tourism†has a very broad scope, covering two main types of travelers. One is trips made as for primarily religious reasons to shrines of international importance, such as the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, where, according to Mexican tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to the native Juan Diego shortly after the Spanish Conquest, or to the “Cerro de Cubilete†the hill with the large statue of Jesus on top, where the Pope recently gave a sermon.
However, religious tourism in Mexico is also much broader, including people who visit cathedrals, churches, convents, shrines, pyramids and other sites of present or past religious importance for reasons of pure interest in seeing the sights and learning about history and culture, apart from religious beliefs. This kind of interest presents a fairly strong appeal to expats who choose to buy in markets such as Yucatan real estate, or also Morelia in central Mexico, where they experience direct contact with this kind of history on a daily basis.
Another point of interest in the same congress was the role of religious leaders in promoting responsible tourism; several Mexican religious leaders at the congress voiced their support for sustainability in tourism regions like Mexico. Such advocacy of responsible tourism can benefit markets like Playa del Carmen real estate, where buyers appreciate the value of the natural beauty, such as the coral reef and cenotes.
The congress brought together over 200 participants from over 40 countries.
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