Heterogeneity of motivations and conflicts in pilgrim-to-pilgrim interaction: a research on the way of Saint James

Abstract

Customer-to-customer interaction constraints are key points in services management. The topic has been studied in the tourism field, but remains under-researched in a pilgrimage context. This paper discusses conflicts in pilgrim-to-pilgrim interaction along the path to sacred places, and in the connected tourist and hospitality services, that emerge from the heterogeneity of motivations to go on pilgrimage. An ethnographic research on the Way of Saint James was conducted. The researchers walked alongside with pilgrims driven by different motivations and experienced situations of interaction among them. This study suggests that interactions of purist with non-purist pilgrims may result in conflicts, discomfort and judgement due to differences in experiencing the pilgrimage. This paper discusses the challenges faced and provides recommendations for hospitality managers operating in pilgrimage areas to address different needs and expectations and thus minimise conflict-prone interactions.