Pilgrimages around the world attract large numbers of followers, often classified as religious tourists. More than a million people attend the annual Easter weekend meeting of The Zion Christian Church in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world and could be expected to have a significant impact on the regional economy. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the spending behaviour of pilgrims at the gathering and the impact that the event has on the economy of Limpopo – one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.