Paranormal Health Beliefs in Travel Motivation and Experiences: The Case of Gırnavaz Jinn
International Journal of Tourism Research July 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/jtr.70404 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 17 |
| Population | Visitors to Gırnavaz Mound and religious officials in Mardin, Türkiye |
| Key findings | Paranormal health tourists are motivated by helplessness and belief; their experiences involve ritual participation and shared emotions. The peak experience of encountering a jinn leader in a dream can be disrupted by environmental factors, and those who reach it feel healing attributable to placebo. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the travel motivations and experiences of paranormal health tourists. In the study, the Gırnavaz Mound in Mardin/Türkiye, where the tomb of the leader of the first Muslim jinn is located, was analyzed. The data were collected with semi‐structured interviews conducted with 15 visitors and 2 religious officials. Four main themes and six subthemes were identified during the manual content analysis process. The main themes were named “Paranormal Story: Healing Jinn,” “Motivation for Paranormal Health Tourism,” “Paranormal Health Tourism Experiences,” and “Sense of Healing: Placebo.” Findings reveal that paranormal health tourists are motivated by feelings of helplessness and belief. Their experiences are shaped by ritual participation and shared emotional exchanges with others. The peak experience—encountering a jinn leader in a dream—can be disrupted by environmental factors. Those who reach the peak experience feel a sense of healing that can be attributed to the placebo.