18th Annual International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conference (IRTP 2027)
Sacred Routes, Living Heritage
Pilgrimage as Heritage Between the Sacred and the Sea
Portorož, 23–26 June 2027
UP Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica
In June 2027, UP FTŠ Turistica will host the 18th Annual International Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conference (IRTP 2027), organised annually by the international IRTP research network in a different European destination. This year's conference took place at Montserrat Monastery in Catalonia, while next year the event will be held in Slovenia for the first time.
The conference brings together researchers, shrine managers, representatives of religious communities and destination planners working in the fields of pilgrimage, sacred heritage and spiritual tourism. The central theme of the conference is pilgrimage as living heritage – a practice preserved not in museum displays, but through walking, rituals and communities. The location in Portorož offers a unique perspective on the meeting of sacred sites and the sea, pilgrimage routes and coastal destinations.
Approximately 60 participants are expected to attend. The working language of the conference will be English, and conference papers will be published following peer review.
Keynote Speakers:
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Prof. Dr. Bojan Žalec – Head of the Institute of Philosophy and Social Ethics, Faculty of Theology, University of Ljubljana.
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Mag. Andreja Ravnihar Megušar – President of the Association of Slovenian Passion Plays.
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DDr. Dane Munro – President of the Sacra Militia Association, Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy, University of Malta.
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Dr. Tamara Rátz – Head of the Department of Tourism, Kodolányi János University.
The official opening ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 23 June 2027, at 3:00 PM. The conference will be officially opened by Dr. Ignacija Fridl Jarc, Minister of Culture.
In addition to academic sessions, the programme will include a welcome reception, a field excursion to pilgrimage and heritage sites in Slovenian Istria – Strunjan, Koper Cathedral and Hrastovlje – and a closing gala dinner.
