Fátima Walking Routes at the world’s largest religious tourism gathering

The 13th edition of the IWRT – International Workshops on Religious Tourism will take place on 19 and 20 February in Fátima, and on 23 February in Guarda. Under the theme “Places of Faith: Memory, Spirituality and the Pilgrim’s Experience”, the 2026 meeting proposes an in-depth reflection on the spiritual, cultural and human value of places of faith.

Considered the world’s largest gathering of professionals dedicated to religious tourism, the event brings together national and international tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers and tourism entrepreneurs, fostering the exchange of experiences and the establishment of partnerships within this growing sector.

The opening session will be held on the morning of 19 February at the Paul VI Pastoral Centre in Fátima and will feature the conference “Places of Faith: Memory, Spirituality and the Pilgrim’s Experience in Fátima”, delivered by Marco Daniel Duarte, art historian and director of the Museum of the Sanctuary of Fátima. His presentation will address the development of the Sanctuary from the apparitions of 1916–1917 onwards, highlighting the importance of tangible and intangible heritage in shaping a unique experience for pilgrims and visitors.

On 20 February, the Centro Nacional de Cultura will take part in the presentation of the Fátima Walking Routes project to the hosted buyers attending the event, in a joint initiative with Turismo de Portugal and the Associação Caminhos de Fátima. The session aims to showcase the work carried out in promoting these cultural and spiritual routes, reinforcing their heritage dimension.

According to Pedro Mafra, President of ACISO – the Business Association of Ourém-Fátima, the theme of this edition reaffirms the commitment of the organising and partner institutions to promote a qualified debate on places of faith and spiritual experiences as essential dimensions of cultural and human heritage.

More information at iwrt.pt.