Urban Pilgrims Tourism – Local Community And Visitors Perspective (St. Stanislaus Kostka Sanctuary In Warsaw)

Abstract

Today we can observe an increasing popularity of short-term pilgrimage visits, religious excursions to the urban sacred centres. On the example of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Warsaw, we intended to study the impact that tourism is having on the nearby housing estate and local community (Żoliborz Borough, Warsaw). The basic issue of our study (conducted in the Faculty of Tourism and Recreation, AWF University Warsaw: 2014–2016) was to seek the answer for the following questions: the number of visitors, how much income they inject into the local economy, the number of jobs created, the impact of tourism on the image of the city, the local community’s approach to tourists as “strangers”, and also the visitor comments on amenities and infrastructure. To examine urban tourism from the local community perspective and to obtain primary data, we have undertaken the explanatory research (based on observation and social survey work as a basis to explain a phenomenon) and evaluative research (policy of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church and local authorities decision-making grounds associated with the pilgrimage tourism process. We also used statistic information (as secondary data). Social-science perspectives and spatial studies showed that shared space (tourists, local community) creates some conflicts, such as problems with parking space, overcrowded local shops, and much higher prices than in shops located in the nearby districts. On the other hand, local community is clearly proud of such an important holy site. It would seem that more attention should be paid to the negative consequences of visitor’s presence and that it is necessary to identify in future local plans more carefully several issues connected with tourist presence.

Keywords

• urban tourism
• sacred sites
• pilgrims
• sustainable spatial planning
• local community