Secular pilgrims on sacred paths: A processual model of modern pilgrimage on the Carian Way

Abstract

This article contributes to ongoing debates on the relationship between pilgrimage and tourism by examining the lived experiences of walkers on the Carian Way, a secularised heritage trail in Turkey. Drawing on 22 in-depth interviews, this phenomenological study identifies a four-stage experiential process involving ritualistic separation, embodied engagement, the emergence of secular communitas, and moments of personal transcendence. The study proposes a process-oriented interpretation of modern pilgrimage, suggesting that its defining characteristic may lie in the experiential sequence of the journey rather than in belief or destination. This perspective contributes to ongoing discussions about authenticity, spirituality, and meaning-making in contemporary travel. Furthermore, the paper contributes to research on cultural and sustainable tourism by exploring how sacred heritage landscapes are reinterpreted as secular pilgrimage experiences.