Church groups are noted for pilgrimages and not fun tours. When the members of Bishop Speaks AME Zion Church of Accra Newtown, decided to hit the road, however, it was mainly for fun and at the same time, a lookout for opportunities that may present themselves for the spread of the gospel.
Taking advantage of the recent Republic Day holiday, some members of the congregation toured parts of the Greater Accra and Eastern regions.
From Accra, the group of about 40, went on a guided tour through Tema�s harbour and industrial town.
There was a brief stop-over at the Shai Hills Resource Reserve which harbours animals such as kobs, bushbucks, savannah duikers, green monkeys and olive baboons.
The next stop was at Adomi Bridge where the group enjoyed a fascinating view of the Volta River.
At Akosombo, the church members joined a multitude of holiday folks to relax and enjoy nature.
Phidelia Korbli, President of the Praise Team and leader of the tour, said members had a great time and were considering going on more tours.
A tourism consultant, Newlands Hiamey, acted as their tour guide. He stressed the need for church congregations to engage in recreational excursions across the country.
�Apart from the great benefit of broadening one�s horizon, one can never know when an opportunity would come to win souls for the kingdom of God,� he stated.
In Ghana, while religious tourism to sacred places is common, it is interesting that religious groups themselves are visiting tourist destinations for its own sake.
Religion and spirituality are among the most common motivations for travel. Indeed the earliest forms of tourism travel were to religious attractions. Over the centuries, major tourism destinations have developed mainly as a result of their connections to sacred people, places and events.
Tourism and its associated practices interact with religious life and the institutions of religion in virtually every corner of the world. The relationship between religion and tourism, however, amounts to far more than just places of religion that host tourist visitors.
In fact, the religious meanings that make a place sacred also make the site a meaningful destination for some tourists.
The principles of ecotourism, for instance, require that visitors show respect to the site. They are also required not to litter the place, not to make noise and not to corrupt minors living within the community of the eco-attraction.
At the same time, however, tourists and religious practitioners usually have very different attachments to and understandings of the places visited Spaces become sacred according to the historical, social, and cultural contexts of particular religious traditions.
The holy nature of Jerusalem, for instance, cannot be understood separately from the historical and socio-cultural contexts of Christianity.
What is significant is that religious tourists (whether on pilgrimage or travelling for crusades) patronise facilities and resources within the tourism industry.
In addition to other services, they use transport, hotels and catering services. Religious tourists also do shopping at destinations adding significantly to the tourist dollar.
They pay entrance fees, use tourist guides and buy religious souvenirs. Professionals in the travel industry know this secret very well and they do their best not to discount this segment of tourists.
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