Promotional Tools Model for Religious Tourism: Evidence from Sati Peeths in West Bengal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58574/jaa.2026.v5.i1.14Keywords:
Religious Tourism, Sati Peeths, Promotional Tools, Pilgrimage MarketingAbstract
Religious tourism represents one of the most resilient segments of India’s tourism economy, particularly in culturally rich regions such as West Bengal, which hosts several Sati Peeths (Shakti Peeth pilgrimage sites). Despite their immense spiritual and heritage value, many Sati Peeth destinations remain under-promoted compared with major pilgrimage circuits. This study develops and empirically tests a Promotional Tools Model for Religious Tourism (PTM-RT) tailored to Sati Peeths in West Bengal. The model integrates advertising, digital promotion, word-of-mouth, public relations, and on-site experience promotion as predictors of tourist satisfaction and revisit intention.
A structured survey of 420 pilgrims across major Sati Peeths was analysed using SPSS and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results indicate that digital promotion and experiential promotion exert the strongest influence on tourist satisfaction, while word-of-mouth significantly drives revisit intention. The findings provide a strategic promotional framework for policymakers and temple tourism boards to strengthen pilgrimage tourism in West Bengal and support India’s religious tourism development vision toward 2047.
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