The economic impact of COVID-19 on religious tourism to the Kartarpur Corridor

The aim of this paper is to analyse the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic on religious tourism in Kartarpur Gurdwara Corridor between the Punjab States of Pakistan and India. The corridor was opened as a peace building initiative 72 years after the partition of India-Pakistan. In November 2019, thousands of Sikh pilgrims visited Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib in Punjab to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanakji, where he spent last 19 years of his life. The Government of Pakistan invested heavily to build the infrastructure facilities for connecting both borders for religious tourism. The two phases of development of Kartarpur created economic opportunities for the growth of bilateral trade, religious tourism, diplomacy, and peaceful relationship. However, since the COVID-19 based travel lockdown, the Kartarpur religious tourism site and related businesses suffered a devastating economic impact just four months after its opening. This paper highlights the importance of the Kartarpur religious tourism and the devastating economic impact from COVID-19 on the niche spiritual tourism-based economy, employment, marketing, and peace associated with Kartarpur. Qualitative content analysis method was adopted using relevant quotes identified from internet sources to reach findings. Some implicit opportunities are highlighted for a better understanding of global health issues, unified efforts to fight the pandemic and mutual support for spiritual tourism development among Indians and Pakistanis. Policy implications suggest that post- COVID-19, public-private sector partnership is needed to cooperatively plan, develop, and promote religious tourism, build awareness, and cooperate for common resource management for economic benefits. COVID-19 could be a cooperative stimulus for peaceful change through a bilateral trade, travel, and tourism plan, based on responsible cross-border tourism for India and Pakistan; to create the mutually beneficial South-Asian economic success story.