Cemetery Tourism : Exploring the Sacred Landscape of Graves

Cemetery tourism is an emerging trend linked to religious tourism, dark tourism, cultural tourism and recreational tourism. An analysis of cemeteries reveals that they embody both sacred and profane elements. Religious traditions often regard cemeteries as sacred or highly esteemed sites. Historical practices, such as burying the dead in churchyards, rituals for consecrating cemeteries, ceremonies honouring the deceased and personal prayers and meditation, all affirm the cemetery's sacred status. Societies view cemeteries as places where the dead are interred, and this function serves the public interest. The book presents a compelling collection of articles and case studies addressing cemetery tourism in diverse geographical contexts. It examines the motivations behind cemetery visits, the spatial manifestations of various rituals, beliefs, and practices observed at cemeteries and during funerals. Through an integration of theoretical perspectives and practical examples, the book conceptualizes cemeteries as significant cultural landscapes on a global scale. The work also explores the role of religious traditions in shaping burial practices and influencing cemetery architecture. Its aim is to delve into the interplay between religion, sociology and geography, examining how cemeteries and funeral practices are both shaped by and shape the physical and cultural environment. By analysing case studies from around the world, the book highlights the complex relationship between cemetery tourism and other forms of tourism, emphasizing how these dynamics affect burial landscapes. This volume offers a valuable interdisciplinary resource for scholars and students interested in the complex relationships between tourism, cultural landscapes and commemorative practices.

Darius Liutikas (PhD) is a Principal scientific researcher at the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences (Vilnius). Research interests include: tourism, modern and traditional pilgrimage, sociology of tourism, religious tourism, anthropology of tourism, forms of mobility, sacred places and sacred spaces, geography of tourism and geography of religions. Darius Liutikas accomplished his PhD studies in 2008 at Vilnius University, his thesis being 'Traditional and modern pilgrimage as an expression of values and identity in Lithuanian society'. He has published around 70 articles and book chapters in Lithuanian and international academic journals. He has prepared and published 10 books (5 in the Lithuanian language and 5 in English). His recent edited books „Pilgrims: Values and Identities" (CABI, 2021), "Religious Tourism and Globalization: The Search for Identity and Transformative Experience" (together with Razaq Raj, CABI, 2024), „Creating the Sacred Landscape Pilgrimages and Ritual Practices" (Springer Nature, 2025) and "Geographies of Religious Spaces and Sacred Landscapes" (Edward Elgar, 2025). He has participated in more than 50 international scientific conferences as keynote speaker, guest speaker or speaker. He is Chairman of the Community of Lithuanian Pilgrims. He is the Series Editor for the Tourism and Society series (CAB International).

Dr Razaq Raj is Principal Lecturer for Research and Enterprise in Leeds Business School. He is an internationally renowned academic with extensive experience in teaching, research, leadership and Managements in the UK, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, China, Japan and South Korea. He is an Honorary Professor University of Vitez, Bosnia. He has published work on strategic management, economic and financial impacts, cultural festivals and sustainable tourism and religious tourism. He has both organised international conferences and delivered keynote speeches. He has published books on Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Management and Events Management. He is founding co-editor of the Journal Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage and Series Editor, CABI Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Book Series and Tourism and Society Book Series.

Kevin Griffin is the Senior Lecturer in Tourism in the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism at Technological University Dublin. Kevin Griffin is the chairperson of the Institute for Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage which organises an annual conferences and manages a number of publication projects. He is also Editor-in-Chief for the TU Dublin published International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage which is internationally recognised and ranked with SCOPUS and many other agencies. He is also Series Editor for the Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Book Series. In more recent times Kevin has established two other international Open Access Journals for which he is also Editor-in-Chief: The International Journal of Tour Guiding Research and the International Journal of Islands Research.

Polyxeni Moira is a Professor of Sociology of Tourism in the Department of Tourism Management at the University of West Attica, Greece, with an extensive academic career spanning over 30 years. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences and possesses a diverse multidisciplinary background, with BA degrees in Public Administration, International and European Studies, and Communication and Mass Media, alongside MSc degrees in Rural and Regional Development, Pedagogy, and Administrative Law. Professor Moira has served as a Visiting Professor at several prestigious institutions, including the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Harokopeion University, and the Universities of Ioannina and the Aegean, while also holding a leadership role as assistant director at the Hellenic Open University. She is the Series Editor for the "Tourism & Society" series (CABI) and co-editor of the collective volumes, The Politics of Religious Tourism (CABI) and Cultural Heritage Tourism and Circular Economy, Enhancing Identity, Visibility and Sustainability (SPRINGER). Her prolific research output includes 28 scientific books on specialized topics such as Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, Marine Tourism, Cruise Tourism, and Industrial Heritage Tourism, complemented by more than 50 articles in international and Greek peer-reviewed journals. Her primary research interests focus on the Sociology of Tourism, Consumer Behavior, and Alternative Forms of Tourism, with a particular emphasis on the intersection of Spirituality, Culture and Religious Tourism.