Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.37741/t.70.3.2
Celebrity-Induced Yoga Tourism: The Case of Amritapuri Ashram, India
Bipithalal Balakrishnan Nair
; SIHOM, Woosong University, Daejeon, Korea
Sandip Solanki
; Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India
Abstract
The present-day stress, societal changes, and hectic life make the quest for mental and physical well-being. The market for yoga tourism has been growing ever before. Ashrams and Gurus are vital aspects of Yoga tourism. These religious gurus are functional celebrities with millions of followers and franchises worldwide. Gurus are inextricably linked to the global popularisation of Yoga, and they have the potential to be more convincing than government initiatives since they travel to and through more nations and establish personal contact zones between multinational groups. To this end, this study examines the significance of religious gurus as celebrities in promoting Yoga tourism. This research utilized a qualitative interpretive approach by the application of Netnography. The findings emphasize the substantial role of religious gurus in tourists’ motivation, behavioral intentions, destination attachment, and ashram selection. The study also connects the search for authenticity in the well-being tour with the pleasant tourism experience that Yoga ashrams offer.
Keywords
spiritual leaders; netnography; thematic analysis; ashrams; India
Hrčak ID:
279097
URI
Publication date:
13.6.2022.
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