This field of tourism is divided into two categories:

1_Traveling with the aim of getting to know different religions:

In this type of trip, the goal is to get to know different religions, and sometimes you can look for a detailed study of the followers of a particular religion in this trip, or tourists may visit a religious place such as an old church, a church. Old mosque, tomb, etc., there is no specific time for travel in this type of religious tourism, and tourists can start and end their trip whenever they want.

2)Traveling with the purpose of pilgrimage:

Pilgrimage is another subset of religious tourism. Tourists travel only for pilgrimage. For example, Iran is one of the countries that always hosts religious tourists who travel there for pilgrimage. In pilgrimage trips, in addition to pilgrimage, tourists may also engage in other activities such as shopping and visiting religious places, but the thing about this type of trip is that it usually has a certain duration and is sometimes accompanied by certain customs. One of the things that creates communication between different religions is travel. People of any religion can travel wherever they want and learn about different religions and their traditions. Different religions have been able to contribute to economic prosperity in many parts of the world as well as Iran by having very diverse religious ceremonies and places. Pilgrimage tourism is one of the oldest types of tourism that goes to these places with different motivations, including getting to know culture, religion, art, architecture, history, etc. The trip of ancient Iranians to Anahita temple in Kangavar, the trip of Egyptians to visit the pharaohs, the sacred ceremonies of the ancient Greeks in the temples of Apollo, and the Hajj trip are among this type of tourism. Regardless of whether the person is personally religious or not. Mecca, Medina, Karbala, Samarra, Mashhad, Qom, Beit al-Maqdis, Varanasi, etc. are among the most famous cities that are the destination of religious tourists. The biggest form of mass religious tourism is the Arbaeen walking ceremony and pilgrimage to Imam Hussain in Karbala, which is held every year. Another point about religious tourism and pilgrimage is that the type of weather does not affect the pilgrimage in any season. For example, Hajj may be performed sometimes in cold seasons and sometimes in hot seasons.

Attributes:

Religious tourism, like other subcategories of the tourism industry, has special characteristics, some of which are:

• •  Religious tourism can provide this opportunity for travelers and tourists to learn about different religions and religions in religious places.
     Religious tourism as an added value in cities and destinations causes the economic prosperity of that region and provides the funds needed for the maintenance and protection of religious and historical places.
     Religious tourism is like a driving force that gathers people with diverse backgrounds in a common place and at the same time protects the tangible and intangible natural and cultural heritage of that region.
     In general, pilgrimages cause less damage to the environment than recreational trips. Usually, people who seek pilgrimage are people of law.
     In religious trips, it is possible for all sections of the society to be together. In fact, it can be said that religious trips are the only trips that even the lower classes of a society can travel to.
     People who are looking for religious trips prefer simplicity, so they can reduce many side costs in their trips.
     Normally, religious trips are done in groups, that's why organizing these types of trips is much easier than recreational trips.
     There are often markets in or near religious places where travelers can do their shopping.
     Some religious journeys are done at a certain time. For this reason, it can be fully and accurately planned.
     Religious trips can cause economic prosperity in some countries. Some religions may have certain practices, that's why some trips are obligatory for followers of different religions.This event can increase the income of a country through religious tourism.