WELCOME
Sacred-Spiritual Tourism Visitor Management Workshops since 2022
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SUMMARY OF THE LAST EVENT
Held in February 2026, Pilgrim Academy 5 has become one of the most significant professional forums for religious tourism in Hungary, hosted by the historically and spiritually prominent city of Veszprém, specifically the Archiepiscopal College of Veszprém. The jubilee workshop was organized around the motto "From Waiting to Moving Forward" focusing on the deep, transformative relationship between the visitor, the host, and the environment.
The significance of the event is further enhanced by the patronage of Archabbot Cirill T. Hortobágyi of Pannonhalma, and its close alignment with the objectives of the World Religious Tourism Network.
The conference series initiates an ongoing professional dialogue on how pilgrimage can transcend mere travel to become an experience fostering inner growth in the modern age. Speakers and participants did not only discuss the sector's challenges on a theoretical level but sought practical solutions for improving visitor management, with a particular focus on sustainability and the authentic communication of spiritual content.
The choice of Veszprém as the venue allowed participants to directly experience the city's renewed archiepiscopal tourism offerings. At the same time, the event was seamlessly integrated into the Veszprém–Balaton European Region of Sport 2026 program series, linking the concepts of physical and spiritual recreation.Throughout the meeting, classical academic lectures, shared spiritual experiences, and networking-focused roundtable discussions alternated dynamically. This helped professionals treat religious tourism not merely as an economic sector, but as an activity for community building and heritage preservation.
With national and international speakers, plenary and session presentations, roundtable discussions, and special programs, we provide opportunities for individual and organizational introductions, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. We present the tourism and spiritual aspects of hosting pilgrims to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of religious tourism. We offer inspiring days for all participants, with programs conducted in the spirit of shared values, openness, acceptance, and hospitality. There will be opportunities to experience the power of silence and shared community moments, leaving a lasting impact on both our professional and personal lives.
We provide a unique platform for professionals involved in religious tourism.
We are committed to promoting religious tourism and pilgrimage, aiming to bridge the spiritual and tourism aspects of pilgrimages while fostering networking within professional communities. In 2024, the Pilgrim Academy joined the World Religious Tourism Network as a founding member, strengthening its international presence and networking opportunities.
Voices from the participants:
"Imagine yourself here. You might even close your eyes. If you look inward for a moment, you can feel this space embracing you, holding you. Now, imagine 80 people here. A collective presence, each with different stories, backgrounds, and thoughts. A gathering with its own curious buzz and energy. Then, imagine monks singing psalms to one another in two-part harmony. As they finish, they remain motionless; a silence and peace so thick you can almost touch it descends upon the church. Then, this silence and peace begins to move toward the 80 people. It caresses everyone, one by one, and as if by magic, an infinite tranquility takes hold of everyone. They connect with each other, with the universe... It's impossible to tell how much time passes like this, motionless, in the infinite silence. Not even the rustle of a coat can be heard. Space and time cease to exist. The twist is that I experienced all of this within the framework of a conference."
Márta Duchai
"I am a seeker on many levels and in many areas, but for now, I cannot find the right words to describe the experience and the feelings I have encountered over the past two days at the Archabbey of Pannonhalma, thanks to the Pilgrim Academy. Thank you, and I am grateful for your encouragement to participate. I will try to convey the impossible and show what characterized these two days in just a few words: shared values, openness, humor, acceptance and inclusion, hospitality, collaborative work and collective thinking, authenticity, sincerity, and transfiguration. And there are three 'top' things I learned and experienced: 1. The power of silence, 2. The purpose of the journey as an offering, and 3. The importance of a shared value system."
Gyöngyvér Szabó
András József Molnár
Co-founder, Organizer
Hiking and pilgrimage guide, researcher-developer, and educator; by profession, he holds a PhD in Computer Science and is a tourism development manager and theologian. He is the founding president of the Viator Association and a member of the World Trails Network and the Pietre Vive / Living Stones movement. He has been involved in the founding of several hiking and pilgrimage initiatives, as well as the development and renewal of the hiking and pilgrimage trail system in Hungary. As the visionary behind the Pilgrim Academy, he aims to create spaces for dialogue and creative collaboration between tourism professionals, spiritual communities, and those serving visitors.
Péter Gadácsi Jr.
Co-founder, Organizer
Coordinator of the Budapest Pilgrimage Center and co-founder of the
Viatorum Pilgrimage Workshop. He is a Gold Badge hiking guide,
mountaineer, trail-marking leader, hiking instructor, economist, and
tourism specialist. He has summited 55 of the Alps' 4000-meter peaks and
completed the National Blue Trail.
He is the visionary and organizer
behind the national network of Pauline Trails and the organizer of the
Pálos70 pilgrimage. His mission is to share his deep love for nature and
the forest, along with his lived experiences, with as many people as
possible while developing pilgrimage tourism.
Gábor Bódis
Co-founder, Organizer
Tourism expert and senior lecturer. He is a marketing decision-maker with extensive experience, serving as a lead expert for numerous domestic and cross-border tourism development and branding projects. As the founder of the Hungary NEXT country-brand-workshop, he participates in strategic tourism planning and the successful coordination of creative sector stakeholders. He is a member of the Association of Tourism Developers and Consultants, the Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Subcommittee of the Hungarikum Committee, and the Creative Industry Roundtable established under the leadership of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology.
Photo Gallery 2026
Photos may only be used with written authorization.
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