The second tourism conference series at the IPT is meant to launch the debate on the role of cultural-religious tourism in the image of tourist destinations. Tourism is a way of protecting cultural heritage taking advantage of existing cultural and natural resources and contributing to territorial development. Cultural-religious tourism can be a competitive advantage because it offers innovative unique experiences. The attractiveness of a region can be enhanced by integrating cultural and religious resources in sustainable tourism activities. In this sense, heritage resources regarded as elements of cultural and regional identity can through cultural-religious tourism gain recognition as a factor for territorial competitiveness.
In view of the growing recognition of the importance in valuing cultural products in destinations with a vast wealth of heritage resources, this conference series aims to: 1) reflect on the role of cultural-religious tourism to the image of tourist destinations for tourist attractiveness and territorial development; 2) figure out if the enhancement of a tourist destination, from the point of view of cultural-religious tourism, is associated with  the development and promotion of tourist products; 3) understand if cultural products tend to add value to tourist destinations and to play a key role in the development of regional tourism plans, through the creation of sustainable cultural tourism products.

In order to achieve the set goals, the second conference series on tourism: cultural-religious tourism is organised around thematic panels on the importance of cultural-religious tourism, museum development, safety in religious tourism and heritage and the important role of gastronomy as a cultural and tourist product in strengthening local economies.