Consequences of Covid- 19 in Hindu Pilgrimage Tourism Places in Tamil Nadu, India
This paper explores the COVID-19 pandemic impacts and overview of related literature on pilgrimage tourism and it also aims to give suggestions for future rejuvenation of Hindu pilgrimage tourism. Tamil Nadu is a southern Indian state noted for its temples dedicated to numerous Hindu gods and goddesses. The state has towering temples with magnificent architecture, paintings, sculptures, different cultures, fairs and festivals which attract millions of tourists every year. Pilgrimage tourism is one of the most profitable and positive economic outcomes for the state, especially it helps to increase in Gross Domestic Product, to earn foreign exchange earnings, to create direct and indirect employment for the people and to create a market for local handicrafts. The COVID-19 pandemic impacts every sector in the world; especially the tourism industry in developed and developing countries are badly affected because of universal speared. It has enforced the worldwide curfew which is highly impacted on tourism-related services like transportation, accommodations, hotels and restaurants, tour operators and travel agents, tourists guide, small and medium businesses and petty shops in and around the pilgrimage sites. The religious sites have closed their doors for devotees and many religious leaders appealed to their followers not to perform their spiritual spreading of the virus is high due to overcrowding as well as religious mass gathering and pilgrims come to take bath in the holy water in reveres which was stopped for the precautionary measure when the people come back from mass gathering to their home town to control the spread of the pandemic. The pandemic impact on religious tourism has been immeasurable and many religious places are also changing their rituals and have altered the thinking and beliefs of religious leaders and pilgrimage visitors worldwide.