Lithuania will become a meeting point for pilgrimage, heritage and religious tourism professionals on 1–2 October 2026, when the International Religious Tourism Forum (IRTF) takes place in Raseiniai and Šiluva. The 2-day event will bring together international buyers, tourisme organisations, pilgrimage destinations, public institutions, religious bodies, service providers i altres professionals working in faith-based, cultural i heritage tourism. IRTF
The Forum has creat around a clear theme: “Faith, Heritage and Tourism.” It goal is to strengthen international cooperation, showcase Lithuania's potencialment as pilgrimage i heritage destination i create practical opportunities per a networking, business meetings i development of future tourisme products. IRTF
Per mitja i organitzacions enllaçades al Camí de Sant Jaume, eventualment es particularment interesting because i reflecteixes a wider European trend: pilgrimages és increasingly being understood no només és a religious act, però als forms cultural travel capaç de supporting local communities.
Raseiniai and Šiluva at the centre of the Forum
The main conference programme will take place at the Raseiniai District Culture Centre, while Šiluva and several other religious heritage llocs will form part of the wider familiarisation programme. Raseiniai està situat al centre de Lithuania, entre 90 quilòmetres de Kaunas i aproximadament 190 quilòmetres de Vilnius. IRTF
Šiluva ha an important place in Lithuanian religious life and will feature prominently throughout the programme. El Fòrum és a l'hora d'utilitzar l'esdeveniment per introduir international participants a pilgrimage destinations i religious heritage across the region. IRTF
A programme focused on cooperation and the future of religious tourism
The main conference opens on Thursday, 1 October with institutional welcome remarks from Arvydas Nekrošejs, Major of Raseiniai District Municipality; Kęstutis Kėvalas, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kaunas; and Guoda Burokienė, Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation. IRTF
One de les presentacions presentades exploren Šiluva, la Way of Grace i el desenvolupament d'International Religious Tourism Forum itself. The programme then moves into a broader European perspective, incloent the presentation of the JP2 Living Legacy Route, descriueu as a journey linking 100 places and 100 stories. IRTF
Another session will examine global trends in the commercialisation of religious tourism, presented by Santiago Cano of REDITUR. L'agenda també inclou experts presentacions en què internacionals tour operators expecta entre religioses turismes destinacions, covering practical qüestions suxes als accessibility, accommodation, guiding, storytelling, programació structure i cooperació s local partners. IRTF
That practical focus és significant. Religious tourisme és increasingly competint en un international market where destinacions need more than importants churches or historical sites. Visitors també expect coherent routes, interpretació, serveis i experiències que utilitzen la manera d'aplicar les places de les visites.
Living heritage, pilgrimage and sustainable tourism
One of the central discussions of the Forum will be “Paths of Faith in Europe: Living Heritage, Pilgrimage and Sustainable Religious Tourism.”
El debat va centrar-se en el fet de la religió turística per augmentar, mentre preservi living cultural i spiritual heritage, strengthening locals communities i creacions meaningful connections between pilgrimage centres across Europe. Participants inclouen representatives de la Lithuania Travel, el Lithuanian turisme administratiu, el diplomatic community and el Shrines of Europe network. IRTF
Aquesta discussió és particularment rellevant per a l'històric pilgrimage routes such as el Camí de Sant Jaume.
Across Europe, pilgrimage routes face a similar challenge: how to atractor visitors and create economic opportunities sense reduir spiritual i cultural heritage to a purely commercial tourism product.
El balanç entre autenticitat, local de lleure i visitor de gust és alliberat per una de les majors qüestions que facin pilgrimage destinacions per a la següent dècada.
B2B meetings and international tourism development
El Fòrum és designat no només a conferència però també a professional marketplace.
The afternoon of 1 October includes an exhibition and B2B meetings between international buyers, suppliers, exhibitors i institutional partners. Tour operators, travel agències i turisme producte developers will meet pilgrimage destinations, municipalities, tourisme organisations, visitor centres, guides and accommodation providers. IRTF
Els formats inclouen l'event a practical dimensions: routes and destinations tenen l'oportunitat de buscar partnership capable de realitzar real travell programmes in futures segons.
A journey through Lithuania's religious heritage
On Friday, 2 October, participants will leave the conference room and experience Lithuania's religious heritage directly.
The programme includes a visit to Šiluva Shrine, the famous Hill of Crosses, Žemaičių Kalvarija and the Tytuvėnai Bernardine Monastery, where participants will have dinner followed by evening tour. IRTF
Selected international buyers can also continue to Vilnius on Saturday for familiarisation programme centred on Divine Mercy Vilnius. IRTF
Pilgrimage beyond borders
The International Religious Tourism Fòrum arriba a l'instant quan pilgrimage routes are gaining renewed international visibility.
El Camí de Sant Jaume remaina el món de la best-known European pilgrimage network, però semblants iniciatives de desenvolupar across many countries, connecting faith, landscape, heritage and local identity.
Lithuania's Forum reflects that movement.
Aquests significants no són només en promoció individual religioses, però en destinació destinades a cooperar, exchange d'experiència i de la pila de imatges com a broader European cultural network.
Per al camí communitat, el missatge is familiar: pilgrimage has always crossed borders.
In Raseiniai and Šiluva, la tradició és que s'hagi d'iniciar la sessió per a noves converses sobre el fet de fait, heritage i turisme per a tot el món.
