CULTURE, RITUALS AND NATURE: EXPERIENCES OF MYSTICAL TOURISM IN NORTHERN PERU
Miguel Angel Ruiz-Palacios, Cristiana Pereira-Teixeira-De-Oliveira, Miguel Angel Tejada-García, Claribel Rosario Salvador-García, Leli Velasquez-Viloche, Franklin Cordova-Buiza
GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites December 20, 2024 DOI: 10.30892/gtg.56438-1352 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractCultural tourists on Peru's northern coast seek authentic experiences, spiritual healing, and personal fulfillment through Andean rituals. Shamans act as intermediaries, fostering faith in deities and lagoons. Locals recognize benefits such as increased tourism alongside challenges like scammers and lack of municipal organization. Traditional shamanic rituals enhance perceptions of authenticity and emotional impact, with the natural landscape enriching the sensory experience.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Ethnographic study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 65 |
| Population | Cultural tourists, shamans, and locals on Peru's northern coast |
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Tourism Sociology Aesthetics Environmental ethics |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key finding | Traditional shamanic rituals enhance perceptions of authenticity and emotional impact for cultural tourists, with the natural landscape enriching the sensory experience. |
Abstract
This study explored cultural tourist experiences of Andean rituals on Peru's northern coast using ethnographic methods. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 65 participants, field notes, and observations of interactions among shamans, patients, and lagoons. Findings show tourists seek authentic cultural experiences, spiritual healing, and personal fulfilment. Shamans act as intermediaries, fostering faith in deities and lagoons. Locals recognize both the benefits (e.g., increased tourism) and challenges (e.g., scammers, lack of municipal organization) of mystical tourism. The study concludes that traditional shamanic rituals enhance perceptions of authenticity and emotional impact, with the natural landscape enriching the sensory experience.