RELIGION, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT

The paper endeavors to explain the association between religion,tourism and development by presenting fourteen case studies of religious sites in India and around the world which showed the facts of increasing number of tourists in all religious places and the religious authorities,local government,state government and the national tourism ministry have done enough investment expenditure on religious place centric development which are sustainable in context of community development, preservation of socio cultural heritage,increasing communications, infrastructure,business and employment including regional development. Growth led religious tourism spread the religious education, spiritual upliftment, international cooperation and national integrity and increased government revenues.