Religiosity and tourism in Chiloé's cultural context: Exploration of one model of approach

Abstract

In the relationship between communities and architecture, tourism deserves special attention, both as a potential threat and as an opportunity for religious culture and its architectural expression. A model is proposed that links the communities of Chiloé and its temples with the tourists. The analysis focuses on maturity levels, defined as the disposition for living with tourism in a deep and integral way, as the model’s backbone variable. Thus, both inhabitants and tourists, as well as the institutions and tourism activities involved, can vary in their maturity levels. It is conjectured that the encounter between “mature” communities and tourists would be optimal if the tourist activities were of a high level, defined as cultured tourism. If, on the other hand, both the “Chilotes” and the tourists are immature, while lacking the fullness of cultured tourism, there are few frustrated expectations. In contrast, when there are dissimilar levels of maturity between inhabitant and tourist a much greater degree of frustration arises.