Abstract
Pilgrimage travel, a common practice across major religions, has historically exhibited remarkable resilience to global crises, owing to the unwavering conviction of its followers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic marked a significant departure from this trend, disrupting pilgrimage tourism, unlike any event since World War II. Despite extensive research on the pandemic’s impact on tourism, limited attention has been directed towards understanding its specific effects on pilgrimage travel. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by pilgrimage tourism suppliers in the aftermath of COVID-19. To obtain a comprehensive global perspective, we collected and analysed one hundred and fifty media articles from thirty countries. The thematic analysis of these articles revealed eight challenges and four opportunities encountered by pilgrimage tourism suppliers during the pandemic. These findings not only highlight the distinctive struggles within the pilgrimage sector but also provide broader insights into the implications for the tourism industry at large. By exploring the intricacies of COVID-19’s impact on pilgrimage tourism, this research contributes valuable knowledge to guide strategies for resilience and recovery in this durable yet vulnerable sector.