German and Russian tourists' motivations who join in pilgrimage tourism: A research on Myra

The trips, which started centuries ago and had done within specific purposes, has evolved into a social and economic phenomenon as a tourism today. When looking to the reason for the desire to travel and business trips and vacations with the religious elements that also reveals important place for journeys. Demre, which is the field of the study, has considerable potential in terms of national and international tourism movements. Especially having been common in divine areas that belong to Christianity and the previous periods is changing the form of visits made here. In the first part of the study the definition of religion, connection with religious tourism, also the reason of joining to this kind of tourism, the definition of pilgrimage tourism which is a sub branch of religious tourism, relationship with tourist and pilgrim and the examples of this tourism on world and Türkiye have been given. In the second part of the study the definition of main scope motivation has done and discussed the field of tourism motivation . In the third part of the study, it has been pointed out general information of Demre where is the main field of study, tourism potential, historical information about the life of St. Nicholas and Church. In the last section, the research method , analysis, findings and conclusions and recommendations are given. Keywords: Religious tourism, pilgrimage tourism, motivation, St. Nicholas, Myra.