Harlem Churches Fed Up with Crowds of Tourists

Tourist attend mass at the Mother AME Zion Church in New York. (Photo: AP)

Going to church has become a spectator sport in Harlem, and some local congregations are getting fed up.

Gospel music and soul food are a part of black culture, and on Sundays in Harlem, locals often go to church before sitting down to have a meal with their friends and family.

But now, tourists are going to church too, and some are paying upwards of $60 for the experience.

In recent years, gospel tours have become a popular excursion for tourists in Harlem. On Sundays, groups like Harlem Spirituals, lead tours through the neighborhood — taking visitors to historic landmarks and a church service with gospel music before sitting down for brunch at a local soul food spot.

Tourist attend mass at the Mother AME Zion Church in New York. (Photo: AP)

According to some locals, it isn’t the presence of tourists that’s the problem. In fact, most churches receive a cut of the tour profits, which helps pay for upkeep in churches with declining congregations.

The problem is how some of the guests behave. In a report by The Telegraph, locals report that in some cases, tourists left as soon as the “praise and worship” portion of the service ended. In other words, once the music stopped, they split.

Another point of contention is the dress code. Many in Harlem don their Sunday’s best for church, however many tourists come in wearing clothes they might wear to a barbecue.

The dress code has become such an issue that many of the tour operators have disclaimers on their websites. “Proper attire is required for all Harlem & Brooklyn Gospel tours (no shorts, halter-tops or T-shirts),” says the All New York Tours website. “Passengers not properly dressed may be refused boarding and no refunds will be made for the tour.”

Mother AME Zion Church in New York. (Photo: AP)

These distractions, and the fact that many visit to be entertained instead of spiritually enlightened, has caused some churches to ban tourists and tour groups all together.

Those churches that haven’t banned these groups have instituted different ways to deal with the crowds.

Some have placed multilingual pamphlets and signs around the church with simple rules including no photography, no flip-flops, and no exiting during the sermon.

Other pastors refuse walk-ins and only take tourists from tours, and a few congregations have designated seats for tourists near the back of the church.

At the end of the day, respect is the name of the game. And as Harlemite Soleo told The Telegraph, tourists should simply educate themselves before they visit.

“If you’re unsure about something ask before you act. It is better to show consideration before the fact and not after doing something that may be deemed inappropriate.”

WATCH: Go inside a Buddhist nunnery for girls

Let Yahoo Travel inspire you every day. Hang out with us on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Check out our original adventure travel series A Broad Abroad.