Systematic Review of Ritual Tourism Studies

Centered on the lived experiences of local communities' rituals, traditions, and beliefs, ritual tourism, a prominent branch of cultural tourism, has emerged as a rapidly expanding domain within tourism studies in recent years. Therefore, the present study set out to provide a systematic review of the literature in this field spanning the period from 2000 to 2025, exploring publication patterns, core concepts, and existing research gaps. To this end, the study used a systematic review approach in accordance with the PRISMA framework. The required data were extracted from the Scopus database, yielding an initial identification of 204 articles. Following the rigorous application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 65 articles were retained for the final analysis. The data were then analyzed utilizing a content analysis approach structured around the PICO framework. The findings of the study indicated a substantial surge in the publication trend of ritual tourism research from 2018 onwards. Geographically, the literature was found to have been predominantly concentrated on Asian contexts, with a particular emphasis on China and India. Furthermore, the study found that prior studies had primarily focused on traditional rituals and ceremonies, the dynamics of tourist-host community interactions, and the function of ritual tourism in destination branding. Overall, the results showed that ritual tourism could play a pivotal role in the preservation of cultural heritage and the realization of sustainable development. Nevertheless, profound challenges persist, most notably the continuous struggle to strike a balance between maintaining cultural authenticity and addressing economic imperatives. Ultimately, this study underscores the necessity for future empirical field research, the cultivation of interdisciplinary approaches, and increased scholarly attention to geographically underrepresented regions.