Ma`rifat Farhangi Ejtemaei

Pilgrimage is one of the most significant manifestations of religiosity which, like other social phenomena, has not been immune to the consequences of modernity and has undergone considerable transformation. This article seeks to provide a "sociological analysis of pilgrimage as a part of tourism industry" as one of the outcomes of modernity. It employs the qualitative approach and the thematic analysis method. Data were collected based on semi-structured interviews and the study of credible academic sources using purposive sampling. Through "open," "selective," and "axial" coding, the findings of this research culminated in 29 basic themes, 8 organizing themes, and 3 global themes. The global themes of this article are "factors affecting pilgrimage," "consequences and challenges," and "strategies for enhancing the spiritual dimensions of pilgrimage." The findings suggest that "the influences of modernity," "the impact of cultural factors," "the role of elites and key actors (academic and executive)," and "the role of management institutions and organizations" are the overarching factors influencing pilgrimage, with the most significant consequence being the "secularization of pilgrimage." Finally, strategies are proposed at both the "individual" and "organizational" levels to address these challenges.