Italy’s Southern Basilicata Enters the World Religious Tourism Network in a Landmark Development Strengthening Faith-Based Travel, Cultural Identity and Sustainable Regional Growth

Written By: Ricky Acharjee

Ricky Acharjee

I am travel writer at Travel And Tour World with 3 years of experience covering global tourism, aviation, hospitality, and destination news. Dedicated to accurate reporting and compelling storytelling, Ricky explores the trends, innovations, and developments shaping the international travel industry while delivering engaging insights for travellers and industry professionals.

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July 6, 2026 11:38 GMT+5:30

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Southern Basilicata has officially become part of the World Religious Tourism Network, an international platform focused on developing faith-based and spiritual travel as a tool for intercultural dialogue, preservation of local identity, and sustainable territorial growth.

The accession was promoted through GAL “La Cittadella del Sapere,” a public–private development agency working across the south-western area of Basilicata. Its scope covers 27 municipalities, including Maratea, and extends across key regions such as Lagonegrese, Val Sarmento, Pollino, Alto Sinni, and Val d’Agri. These territories are widely recognised for their strong environmental value, deep historical roots, cultural richness, and longstanding spiritual traditions.

The agreement that formalised Southern Basilicata’s entry into the network was completed under the European coordination of Edit Székely. The World Religious Tourism Network currently operates across 18 countries and continues to expand its global footprint. Recent additions include Mexico, Peru, and Guatemala, while Israel and the Holy Land have also begun the process of joining, reflecting the increasing international relevance of the organisation in the religious tourism sector.

The network has also developed a structured partnership with the Italian Religious Hospitality Association, one of Italy’s key institutions in spiritual accommodation services. The association represents around 3,000 lodging facilities across the country, several of which are located in Basilicata. This collaboration strengthens the operational link between tourism infrastructure and faith-based travel experiences in the region.

The guiding principle behind the initiative is “Religious Tourism for Peace,” which promotes travel rooted in spirituality as a means of encouraging dialogue, harmony, and mutual understanding between different cultures and faiths. The approach positions religious tourism not only as an economic activity but also as a cultural bridge between communities.

Support for Basilicata’s inclusion process was provided by Biagio Maimone, Italy’s coordinator for the World Religious Tourism Network, along with Nicola Timpone, general director of GAL “La Cittadella del Sapere” and director of the Marateale International Film Festival. Institutional backing was also given by Franco Muscolino, president of the GAL organisation.

Biagio Maimone also holds the role of Director of Communications at the Bambino Gesù Foundation of Cairo, chaired by Monsignor Yoannis Lazhi Gaid, who previously served as personal secretary to Pope Francis. He has undertaken academic formation in Franciscan spirituality in Milan at the Sant’Angelo Convent under Friar Cesare Azimonti. His professional and spiritual outlook is shaped by a broader vision of dialogue within the Church, inspired by the pastoral direction associated with Pope Francis and the missionary orientation linked to Pope Leo XIV.

According to Nicola Timpone, this agreement represents a significant milestone for Southern Basilicata. He highlighted its potential to enhance international recognition of the region and open new pathways for growth within global cultural and spiritual tourism networks. He further noted that the partnership is expected to generate long-term benefits by supporting sustainable development, strengthening territorial promotion, and elevating the visibility of local identity and heritage assets.

The initiative marks an important strategic milestone for the whole Region of Basilicata, enabling it to consolidate its position within the international routes of spiritual, cultural and sustainable tourism.

Southern Basilicata is distinguished by its profound spiritual identity, expressed through devotional itineraries, pilgrimage routes, sanctuaries, historic churches and places of contemplation set within landscapes of exceptional natural beauty. Together, these elements form an authentic and unified spiritual landscape where faith, history, culture and nature coexist in perfect harmony.

Among the most significant sites stands Maratea, internationally known as the “City of 44 Churches,” home to the Basilica of Saint Blaise and the imposing Christ the Redeemer overlooking the Gulf of Policastro.

Particularly important is the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna of the Sacred Mount of Viggiano, one of Southern Italy’s historic pilgrimage destinations and the spiritual heart of Marian devotion in Basilicata.

Equally remarkable is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Sirino, situated at almost 1,900 metres above sea level within the Lucanian Apennines National Park. Every year ancient pilgrimage traditions lead thousands of faithful to one of Basilicata’s most evocative mountain sanctuaries.

Also of outstanding symbolic and religious importance is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Mountain of Avigliano, on Mount Carmine, another destination for pilgrimage, meditation and contemplation surrounded by landscapes of extraordinary beauty.

The territorial system of Val d’Agri, together with the Pollino National Park, further enriches this spiritual landscape through its historic villages, deeply rooted religious traditions and exceptional natural environment, reinforcing the contemplative dimension of the entire Lucanian territory.

“Southern Basilicata,” the statement notes, “is emerging as a vast and integrated spiritual itinerary where faith, culture and landscape merge harmoniously, offering an experience of exceptional historical, religious and human value.”

“Through participation in the World Religious Tourism Network,” President Franco Muscolino writes, “our objective is to enhance a heritage deeply rooted in faith, culture and local traditions, making the spiritual richness of Southern Basilicata fully visible at the international level.”

According to Biagio Maimone, “membership in the World Religious Tourism Network will enable the territory to develop an advanced model of sustainable spiritual tourism capable of enhancing pilgrimage routes, places of devotion and local identity heritage while generating new opportunities for cultural, social and economic growth.”

Maimone is also engaged in an important institutional dialogue with the Italian Ministry of Tourism aimed at establishing a permanent national institutional body dedicated to the protection, promotion and strategic development of religious tourism, fully recognizing its cultural, spiritual, economic and social importance.

Today, religious tourism is increasingly regarded as a genuine instrument of integrated development, combining spirituality, environmental sustainability, community enhancement and the promotion of local economies linked to hospitality, culture and the experience of the inner journey.

“Southern Basilicata,” Maimone adds, “with its unspoiled landscapes, sacred sites and strong religious identity, has the potential to become an international benchmark for spiritual tourism, offering a place of contemplation, faith, peace and dialogue among cultures.”

Membership in the Network will also facilitate the development of international pilgrimage routes, cultural festivals, spiritual encounters and events dedicated to intercultural dialogue, strengthening the territory’s global visibility and attracting new flows of cultural and religious tourism.

“Through this journey,” states Edit Székely, “the entire world will discover Southern Basilicata, its deep-rooted religious traditions, its culture of faith and its rich spiritual heritage, generating important opportunities for sustainable economic development.”

“Solidarity, sustainability and spirituality constitute the founding trilogy of humanity’s future,” concludes Biagio Maimone.

“Promoting religious tourism means building bridges among peoples, preserving the spiritual memory of territories and enhancing local identities as a universal heritage of peace, dialogue and fraternity.”