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Tourism and wellbeing
Abstract
Wellbeing has been a philosophical and sociological concern since the beginning of time, and research has extended over time to disciplines such as psychology, health sciences and economics to name just a few. Tourism studies has also become more focused on wellbeing in the last few decades, both from a theoretical and methodological perspective. After examining the philosophical background of wellbeing from different perspectives, the paper takes a closer look at how these frameworks can inform tourism research and practices. It explores the relationship between diverse terminologies and perspectives as well as the ways in which hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing can be derived through tourism experiences. A spectrum and a model are proposed which outline the relationship between various types of wellbeing, tourism and activities.
... The existing descriptions of the components within health tourism experiencescapes that affect HTE are generally limited and do not provide in-depth analyses which would identify a specific "scape". So far, authors of studies on marketing health tourism have placed focus on examining components within medical tourism experiencescapes (Ghosh & Mandal, 2019;Lubowiecki-Vikuk, 2022), spa tourism experiencescapes (Lin & Mattila, 2018), wellness tourism experiencescapes Smith, 2021) as well as wellbeing-inducing tourism experiencescapes (Smith & Diekmann, 2017). Many of these studies examine customer satisfaction gaps, the creation of value-added features and the potential for guest transformation. ...
... mental, psychological) and more gentle medical treatments (rehabilitation and therapeutic tourism experience) to prevention and lifestyle-improving activities (wellness tourism experience) up to the wellbeing-enhancing tourism experiences which is an optimal HTE level. This ideally leads to the transformation of the individual while providing benefits for the location and its residents through sustainable development (Smith & Diekmann, 2017) (Figure 1). Figure 1 indicates that there is a range of health tourism experiences that can be gained within various "scapes", including locations (e.g. spas, retreats, clinics), environments (e.g. ...
... People thereby become more aware of their role in society by actively participating in improving the world (Smith, 2021). Social wellbeing also means sustainable patterns of consumption and shaping pro-environmental attitudes among consumers (Smith & Diekmann, 2017). ...
This research examines the ways in which Central European spas
create health tourism experiencescapes. A two-round Delphi
study was undertaken in the so-called Visegrád countries:
Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia using a questionnaire
which was sent to 28 carefully chosen experts. Empirical results
showed that five main components within health tourism
experiencescapes need to be addressed: (1) infrastructural
improvements and quality services for new, often self-paying or
international guests, (2) creating physical health restoration and
wellness treatments which are growing in popularity, especially
among younger and foreign guests, (3) the importance of
recognizing the needs of different user groups, separating spaces
and targeting specific segments, (4) constant monitoring of
customer experience quality, (5) creating a hygienic environment
for guests (especially during and post-COVID). The findings help
to provide recommendations for therapeutic health facilities and
balneology spas that are shifting from state-subsidized health
tourism to wellness experience development for paying guests.
... On the other hand, 'high-level fulfilment', linked to eudaimonic benefits, involves the pursuit of longterm or profound goals that enhance personal growth and wellbeing. These experiences fulfil higherlevel psychological needs, fostering a deeper sense of self and life satisfaction (Filep, 2014;Neubauer & Voss, 2018;Smith & Diekmann, 2017). Figure 2 reveals the combination of concepts between the Travel Motivation Model (Csikszentmihalyi and Coffey, 2016) and Travel Motivations derived from TNS (Tasci & Ko, 2017). ...
... In contrast, self-actualisation, social sharing, and perceived safety play positive and significant roles while travel risk shows negative significant influence high-level fulfilment. This distinction underscores the importance of arousal motivation in satisfying the lower-hedonic needs sought by tourists, whereas self-actualisation provides a chance to induce a high level of fulfilment (eudaimonic benefits), as discussed in previous literature (Ivtzan et al., 2013;Filep & Laing, 2019;Smith & Diekmann, 2017). The relationship between self-actualisation and high-level fulfilment suggests that the tourists who are motivated by self-actualisation tended to be more experienced tourists and fit in the middle-level in career ladder of TCP (Agarwal et al., 2023). ...
... Furthermore, the results suggests that domestic tourism caters to different types of motivation and degree of fulfilment. While hedonic experience (arousal) the self-actualisation have been fundamental motives for travel, the capability of the latter to fulfil a higher degree of fulfilment has become more pressing and received more attention in recent years as selfactualisation and the high-level fulfilment significantly influences long-term wellbeing (Smith & Diekmann, 2017;Vada et al., 2020). The emphasis on self-actualisation and eudaimonic experiences in tourism is found to be explained from positive psychology and existential philosophy, suggesting that humans (i.e. ...
This study examines the critical role of domestic tourism as an alternative market to international tourism post-pandemic. It analyses travel motivations alongside perceived risks and safety to assess their impact on trip fulfilment and revisiting intentions. Data from 846 respondents in China, South Korea, and Thailand revealed patterns. Integrated Generalized Structured Component Analysis (IGSCA) and Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) were used to discern the relationships influencing the desire to return. Findings highlight 'arousal' and 'social sharing' as essential for low-level fulfilment, while 'self-actualization' and 'social sharing' are key for high-level fulfilment. 'Perceived safety' significantly affects both levels of fulfilment, which in turn affect the intention to revisit. FsQCA identified specific necessary conditions and configurations predicting the two types of fulfilment and the intention to revisit domestic destinations.
... Hedonia focuses on emotional pleasure, a sense of delight, the avoidance of pain and the absence of distress. In other words, hedonism enhances happiness and well-being by maximizing pleasure and minimizing displeasure (Kay Smith & Diekmann, 2017). According to these authors, the level of pleasure is influenced by personal, socioenvironmental and cultural factors. ...
... In contrast, eudaimonia involves personal growth and self-reflection, focusing on feelings of authenticity, excellence and psychological well-being (Pomfret, 2021;Tsai, 2021). In other words, eudaimonia concerns the ability to fulfill one's potential and the process (Kay Smith & Diekmann, 2017). In the context of ride-sharing, individuals with eudaimonic perspectives view it as a tool to experience their true selves. ...
... According to Steger (2016), these characteristics drive passengers to become more materialistic, selfish and environmentally insensitive. It is because hedonistic passengers try to maximize their pleasure and minimize pain (Kay Smith & Diekmann, 2017). For example, in the context of ride-sharing services, hedonic tourists may enjoy riding their mode of transportation exclusively without worrying about sharing with other people because ride-sharing is regarded as an activity that reduces their self-riding enjoyment and privacy. ...
Purpose – This study aims to examine how affective and technological attitudes influence tourists’
intentions to use ride-sharing services. The authors also explore the moderating effects of perceived
freedom and digital literacy on these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach – The sample consisted of local and international tourists using ridesharing services in Bali, Indonesia. The authors used convenience sampling to distribute
questionnaires to the respondents, collecting 258 responses. Out of these, 222 responses were fully
completed and suitable for analysis.
Findings – The results revealed that hedonia, eudaimonia, technophilia and technophobia each
differently influence tourists’ intentions to use ride-sharing services. Perceived freedom and digital
literacy moderate the strength of these relationships.
Research limitations/implications – This research builds on previous studies by investigating how
various aspects of happiness affect tourists’ intentions to use ride-sharing services. It also emphasizes
the role of perceived freedom and digital literacy in moderating the relationship between happiness,
technology adoption attitudes and ride-sharing intentions.
Originality/value – This study contributes to the existing ride-sharing literature by integrating two
dimensions of affective attitude (hedonia and eudaimonia) and technology adoption attitude
(technophilia and technophobia) to examine their effects on tourists’ intentions to use ride-sharing
services
... According to Uysal et al. (2016), altering any location into a tourist destination directly impacts local residents' quality of life. Though tourism has been documented as a supplier of psychological and physical well-being (Kay Smith & Diekmann, 2017), the research field of tourism development and well-being remains an increasingly significant field of inquiry (Tien et al., 2021). ...
... One of the top publications in tourism and well-being by Kay Smith & Diekmann (2017) stressed the need to probe well-being from an Eastern viewpoint instead of Western, particularly in light of growing Asian markets. They cited that in contrast to the Eastern tradition, where pain, suffering, and hardships are inevitable, the Western viewpoint focuses on maximising subjective well-being and has a dearth of negative emotions. ...
... They cited that in contrast to the Eastern tradition, where pain, suffering, and hardships are inevitable, the Western viewpoint focuses on maximising subjective well-being and has a dearth of negative emotions. While the existing literature unveiled a significant focus of international scholarship on the well-being effect of tourism for visitors (see Filep, 2014;Kay Smith & Diekmann, 2017), there still exists a shred of limited evidence on how tourism affects the well-being of supply-side actors. This is clear in the study of Han et al. (2022), Kimbu et al. (2023) and Uysal et al. (2016); compared to research on tourists' and residents' well-being, the studies on tourism employees' (supply-side) well-being are scarce. ...
Due to its immense contribution to national economies in income and employment generation, tourism has been identified as a significant tool to enhance the economic well-being of households. However, the research field of tourism and well-being remains contended in the existing literature. Therefore, the present study has been undertaken to examine the impact of tourism employment on households' economic well-being. The research was conducted among 372 employees working in travel agencies and tour operators' organisations in Haridwar and Dehradun, India. The researchers used the snowball sampling technique to locate respondents and used Google Forms to collect primary data. The research conceptual framework comprises three explanatory variables: income, benefits, and cost, and one outcome variable, namely expenditure (a measure of economic well-being). Data analysis was carried out by employing partial least squares-based structured equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with the help of the SmartPLS 4 software. Findings identified direct and positive relationships between the three exogenous variables (income, benefits, and cost) and an endogenous variable (expenditure). Overall findings suggest tourism employment as a significant contributor to households' economic well-being and highlights implications in terms of both theory and practice.
... Well-being refers to the cognitive and affective evaluations an individual makes about their life [10]. The debate on the contribution of tourism to the experiences of the agents within the tourism system remains ongoing [11]. To organize the discussion, the main approaches to well-being found in mapping the literature on tourism are presented. ...
... Finally, it is essential to mention that another potential application of prioritizing well-being in Latin American tourism could be in product development, as tourist wellbeing can be improved based on their travel experiences. According to [11], different tourist products can be associated with their impact on well-being over time. For instance, sun and beach or adventure tourism, related to hedonic currents and subjectivism, can generate short-term well-being by providing rest, fun, and entertainment (as well as discomfort if there is excessive alcohol or injuries). ...
... In today's society, "tourism" is a common way for people to relieve negative emotions (such as stress, fatigue, and depression) and improve their health, quality of life, and well-being [1][2][3][4][5][6]. However, due to physical or cognitive impairment [7,8], long-term care facility (LTCF) residents cannot easily leave their care facilities, let alone participate in tourist activities. ...
... However, due to physical or cognitive impairment [7,8], long-term care facility (LTCF) residents cannot easily leave their care facilities, let alone participate in tourist activities. Therefore, if technology can surpass these limitations, it may provide a different experience for LTCF residents [6]. Virtual reality (VR) is one way to achieve this goal. ...
This study investigates the mechanisms of virtual reality (VR) tourism’s impact on the well-being of residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). It aims to understand how presence and flow during VR experiences can enhance well-being. This experimental study used a quantitative approach with structured questionnaires to investigate VR experiences among LTCF residents in Taiwan. After obtaining ethical approval, 145 eligible participants from four LTCFs completed a full five-week VR tourism experience. Data collection took place from June to November 2022. This study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with Smart PLS software to analyze the causal relationships between latent variables. The results confirm that the more vivid the virtual reality image (β = 0.240, p < 0.05), the more immersive the experience (β = 0.267, p < 0.05), the greater the ability to control the experience (β = 0.465, p < 0.001), and the greater the ability to stimulate curiosity during the experience (β = 0.290, p < 0.05), the greater the sense of presence. Increased presence leads to user engagement and a state of flow (β = 0.556, p < 0.001), which is essential for personal hedonia (β = 0.453, p < 0.001) and eudaimonia (β = 0.220, p < 0.001). This study elucidates the mechanisms through which VR tourism experiences enhance well-being among LTCF residents, emphasizing the critical roles of presence and flow in promoting both hedonic and eudaimonic dimensions of well-being.
... On Well-being outcomes for multiple stakeholders, theoretical studies identify that the effectiveness of tourism public policies varies widely on key stakeholders (Dluzewska & Rodzos, 2018), holistic conceptual models that bene t the set of stakeholders are introduced (Lindell et al., 2022), the use of comprehensive indicators beyond economic aspects is recommended (Dwyer, 2023b), a conceptual framework for assessing SDG compliance is suggested (Dwyer, 2022), methodologies such as the Tourism Human Development Index are developed (Jiménez & Muñoz, 2015), tourism products and services that improve public health are proposed (Pyke et al., 2016), and an integrative Tourism Experience Model of Well-Being is created given that the effects on well-being depend on the type of tourism activities (Kay Smith & Diekmann, 2017). In turn, non-randomized articles determined that tourism positively impacts social, economic, environmental and health well-being (Firza et al., 2023), contributes to local human development, but in education it is still a challenge (Jimenez et al., 2021), political stability and population growth rates impact its outcomes (Li et al., 2023), the equitable distribution of its bene ts can increase quality of life (Khan et al., 2021) and reduces terrorism in developing countries (Khan, et al., 2020), policies that translate tourism growth into improved well-being of the poorest are still needed (Kyara et al., 2023), and a better balance between tourism specialization and economic diversi cation is required to achieve sustainable well-being in Small Island Developing States (Puig-Cabrera et al., 2023). ...
Tourism generates both positive and negative impacts, affecting the well-being of various stakeholders such as tourists, residents, workers and governments. The effects include economic growth, infrastructure and employment, but also environmental and social problems. Related literature reviews are scarce and have concentrated on separately identifying the relationship between tourism and the well-being of tourists or residents. This study seeks to examine the link between tourism activities, their effects and the well-being of the different actors involved in the production or consumption of tourism goods and services. Through an inductive methodological approach, a scoping review was conducted based on 89 studies published between 2014 and 2024. Articles were selected that assessed well-being from quantitative, qualitative and mixed perspectives, focusing on key actors in the tourism system. Significant well-being effects were identified for tourists, who experience temporary improvements in life satisfaction due to tourism experiences. Residents show both positive and negative impacts on their quality of life, while workers and governments have been less studied. Tourism well-being should be understood as a multidimensional phenomenon that affects various stakeholders in an interrelated manner. It is recommended to design public policies that integrate the interests of all key stakeholders to maximize the benefits of tourism and minimize its negative externalities.
... Currie et al. (2004) study the impact of war on tourism using the example of Croatia, which allows for parallels to be drawn with the situation in Ukraine. The work of Smith & Diekmann (2017) demonstrates that armed conflicts lead to the destruction of tourist infrastructure, the loss of a country's image as a safe destination, and a decrease in the number of foreign tourists. However, the study also emphasizes that with the end of hostilities, tourism can play a key role in economic recovery if measures are taken to restore infrastructure and improve the country's image on the international arena. ...
In the context of armed conflicts, regions often face infrastructure destruction and economic difficulties. The development of tourism can be a key factor in recovery and economic growth. Geospatial platforms for interactive charitable tourism offer a promising solution for attracting tourists and stimulating the development of affected regions. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of geospatial platforms for interactive charitable tourism as a tool for attracting tourists and promoting the recovery and development of regions affected by armed conflicts. The study employed regression and correlation analysis methods. The analysis revealed significant positive correlations for all variables. The correlation coefficient for audience reach was 0.75, for the effectiveness of attracting donations - 0.8, for the economic impact on the region - 0.9, for user interaction with the platform - 0.85, for platform sustainability - 0.78, and for social impact - 0.92. The t-statistic values exceeded the critical thresholds, and the p-values were below 0.05, confirming the statistical significance of the results. The coefficient of determination was 0.91, indicating a high explanatory power of the model. For the four obtained clusters, approaches to the development and use of geospatial platforms were justified. For regions of cluster 1 with high audience reach (0.75) and moderate effectiveness of attracting donations (0.8), it is recommended to use technologies to improve connectivity and effectively promote their strengths. For regions of cluster 2 with high sustainability and high tourism potential (high social impact = 0.92), it is necessary to include advanced geospatial solutions to increase visitor engagement and optimize recovery strategies, building on existing strengths to attract more tourists and stimulate sustainable development. For regions of cluster 3, significant investments are required both in geospatial platforms and in tourism infrastructure to benefit from high tourism potential (economic impact on the region = 0.9). Strategic development and targeted marketing should be a priority to attract tourists and stimulate economic growth. For regions of cluster 4 with low sustainability and tourism potential (low user interaction with the platform = 0.85 and platform sustainability = 0.78) require comprehensive support, as they are in a crisis situation.
... The interplay between tourism and local communities can be mutually beneficial. Research, such as the work of Smith M.K. and Diekmann A., demonstrates how volunteer tourism can contribute to regional development [50]. Moreover, the negative impacts noted by Guttentag D.A are mitigated by the study's focus on targeted, technology-oriented approaches that enhance the overall impact of tourism initiatives [11]. ...
In the context of armed conflicts, regions often face infrastructure destruction and economic difficulties. The development of tourism can be a key factor in recovery and economic growth. Geospatial platforms for interactive charitable tourism offer a promising solution for attracting tourists and stimulating the development of affected regions. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of geospatial platforms for interactive charitable tourism as a tool for attracting tourists and promoting the recovery and development of regions affected by armed conflicts. This study employed regression and correlation analysis methods. The analysis revealed significant positive correlations for all variables. The correlation coefficient for audience reach was 0.75, for the effectiveness of attracting donations—0.8, for the economic impact on the region—0.9, for user interaction with the platform—0.85, for platform sustainability—0.78, and for social impact—0.92. The t-statistic values exceeded the critical thresholds, and the p-values were below 0.05, confirming the statistical significance of the results. The coefficient of determination was 0.91, indicating a high explanatory power of the model. For the four obtained clusters, approaches to the development and use of geospatial platforms were justified. For regions of Cluster 1 with high audience reach (0.75) and moderate effectiveness of attracting donations (0.8), it is recommended to use technologies to improve connectivity and effectively promote their strengths. For regions of Cluster 2 with high sustainability and high tourism potential (high social impact = 0.92), it is necessary to include advanced geospatial solutions to increase visitor engagement and optimize recovery strategies, building on existing strengths to attract more tourists and stimulate sustainable development. For regions of Cluster 3, significant investments are required both in geospatial platforms and in tourism infrastructure to benefit from high tourism potential (economic impact on the region = 0.9). Strategic development and targeted marketing should be a priority to attract tourists and stimulate economic growth. Regions of Cluster 4 with low sustainability and tourism potential (low user interaction with the platform = 0.85 and platform sustainability = 0.78) require comprehensive support, as they are in a crisis situation.
... According to the literature, the main contribution that museum education makes to individuals is mainly related to individual and community well-being, the possibility of receiving an intervention in any age group, defined as a museum intervention, and social engagement, also related to individual and collective well-being and health (Smith et al., 2012). ...
This study explores the important connection between knowledge and artistic-cultural beauty, focusing on the revolutionary synergy between educational institutions and museums. Indeed, with the advent of the digital age and the accessibility of knowledge through the Web, schools, formerly seen as the exclusive focus of knowledge, must be able to identify, beyond traditional boundaries , opportunities for dialogue with the educational agencies that inhabit the surrounding area in order to remain in step with the times. It is imperative to give a new identity to the museum, recognizing it not only as a cultural institution but also as a space for popular culture and a meaningful learning environment. Through targeted collaboration between school and museum, we aim to shape a cutting-edge educational approach that transcends the mere transmission of knowledge , making museum resources valuable tools that can foster students' learning experience, channeling their curiosity and creativity. An additional key element is the analysis of the growing importance of the metaverse in transforming educational interactions, which implies an interdisciplinary approach and openness to the use of virtual and augmented reality. In this context, the goal is to transform the classroom into a dynamic space in which students not only assimilate academic notions, but actively immerse themselves in cultural beauty through a virtual experience (Cadei and Simeone, 2021). This synergy between knowledge, culture and metaverse opens new horizons, enhancing students' cognitive and emotional progress.
... Natural resources can serve as a foundation for developing unique, geographically specific products, aiming to establish a distinctive market position and appeal of the destination and providing a competitive advantage by offering experiences that cannot be replicated elsewhere (Smith & Puczkó, 2008). Many of nature's characteristics, such as landscape, climate, and water, have medically proven effects on human health and well-being (Smith & Diekmann, 2017). Tourism centers and sanatoria are built in Bulgaria based on mineral springs and mud therapy (Mihaylov, 2012;Yanakieva & Karadzhova, 2020). ...
The concept of the business ecosystem emerged at the turn of the century, drawing inspiration from biology to describe the economic community. Since its inception, this concept has found applications across various domains, including technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship, where it significantly contributes to strategic management. However, within the realm of tourism, there remains a notable dearth of literature on this subject. While it is acknowledged that tourism destinations embody many characteristics of a business ecosystem, concrete tools for adopting an ecosystemic approach in tourism management, particularly across different tourism types, are lacking. The current study seeks to address this gap by undertaking a theoretical exploration of health and recreational tourism. It aims to identify socioeconomic aspects that could facilitate the adoption of an ecosystemic approach in the governance of tourism destinations, with a specific focus on these types of tourism. As a result of this endeavor, an initial model delineating the ecosystem of a health and recreational tourism destination is proposed. This model lays the groundwork for empirical validation and further refinement through subsequent studies.
... The accumulation of similar studies has not only confirmed the immediate positive effects of tourism on happiness, but has also hinted at its potential for contributing to long-term satisfaction, advocating for a balanced perspective in tourism research that accounts for its complex impact on individuals' well-being. Smith and Diekmann (2017) asserted that the impact of vacations on subjective wellbeing is influenced by personal values towards tourism and demographic factors, such as gender and age, with specific studies targeting the well-being of different age groups highlighting this variance. The effect of vacations on happiness, explored by Nawijn et al. (2010), shows a temporary boost in satisfaction pre-trip, yet the long-term uplift in well-being is minimal, indicating the fleeting nature of vacation benefits and pointing to the complexity of well-being as encompassing various aspects of life. ...
In recent decades, the concept of well-being has often been the subject of psychological studies. The current study examines how tourism relates to well-being from the perspective of tourists/visitors, through the study of the older and more recent literature. Especially when it comes to the complex and multifaceted issue of well-being, in relation to the also complex and sensitive sectors of tourism, the specificity of this relationship is reflected in the evidence and the growing number of articles published in mainstream and reliable journals. By using the PRISMA framework, this article compares and evaluates published papers on the study of well-being and tourist behavior to guide and direct future research. It has been found that the relationship between well-being and tourism, especially after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been significantly strengthened. This study highlights the need to adopt a holistic approach that considers all the connections between well-being and tourism.
... Human well-being is a multidimensional concept relating to standard of living, health status, capabilities, opportunities, social relationships, meaning or purpose in life [60][61][62][63] . To estimate human well-being, researchers have developed a wide range of indicators identifying what matters to people, covering different dimensions of their needs [26] . ...
This paper attempts to clarify our understanding of the ability of smart tourism to underpin sustainable destination development and the theoretical and practical challenges that must be faced in this process. Several challenges must be overcome if smart tourism is to associate with progress in achieving sustainable development at the destination level. One challenge involves formulating a clear and consistent conception of what sustainability entails. Another challenge is to reject the growth ethic that drives much of the research effort in smart tourism with its implicit assumption of the role played by technological progress in 'decoupling' environmental effects from tourism growth. A third challenge involves accounting for resident well-being and 'quality of life' issues that are essential elements of the sustainability concept. A further challenge is to integrate the ideas proposed in a way that progresses smart tourism research providing guidance to researchers and destination managers wishing to take sustainability and well-being issues more seriously. The anticipated outcome is smart tourism development that is much more suitable to deliver valued economic, socio-cultural and environmental outcomes to destinations locally and globally.
... This approach ensures that tourism practices respect and uphold cultural traditions, fostering a more respectful and sustainable tourism experience. By integrating local cultural practices into the tourism experience and sharing the benefits of tourism equitably, destinations can maintain cultural integrity and enhance visitor satisfaction (Hikmah et al. 2020;Kozak & Buhalis, 2019;Smith, 2017). ...
Ensuring tourist satisfaction is crucial for stakeholders in tourist destinations, but the criteria influencing it remain unclear. Loyalty is demonstrated when tourists revisit or recommend a destination. This chapter explores the impact of place attachment, faith, service quality, perceived value, and motivation on the satisfaction of religious tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, and how satisfaction influences loyalty. Using purposive sampling, 482 usable responses were collected from 540 distributed questionnaires among pilgrim tourists. Data analysis through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling in Amos showed that service quality had the greatest impact on satisfaction, followed by motivation and perceived value, while place attachment and faith had moderate to low effects. Results confirm that satisfaction significantly enhances destination loyalty. This study contributes to tourism and hospitality literature by providing insights into the behavioral intentions of religious tourists, highlighting the importance of service quality and motivation.
... The concept of well-being refers to optimal psychological functioning and experience (Ryan and Deci, 2001) and is the individual's response to the experiences they would have liked to make and/or did have (Nawijn et al., 2013;Smith and Diekmann, 2017). This concept has witnessed the formation of two relatively distinct, yet overlapping, perspectives and paradigms for empirical inquiry into well-being that revolve around two distinct philosophies (Ryan and Deci, 2001). ...
This study examines the role of escapism, experience co-creation, existential authenticity, and experiential satisfaction as antecedents of memorable digital-free tourism experiences. It then examines the relationship between memorable digital-free tourism experiences and hedonic well-being, eudaimonic well-being and place attachment. Survey data were gathered, via WeChat, from 389 Chinese tourists who had engaged in a digital-free meditation retreat in China between August 2022 and July 2023. Empirical results reveal that levels of escapism and experiential satisfaction positively explain memorable digital-free tourism experiences. Further, more memorable digital-free tourism experiences are associated with greater hedonic well-being, eudaimonic well-being and place attachment.
... Tourism enhances personal well-being by providing both hedonic and eudaimonic benefits, offering short-term and long-term satisfaction [33,34]. Experiences involving deep cultural interactions and active social participation significantly boost well-being [35]. ...
This study explores the impact of sensory experiences on tourists’ experiences at replica destinations, aiming to clarify the intrinsic influence mechanisms between sensory experiences, perceived authenticity, well-being, and the intention to revisit. Utilizing embodied cognition theory, this study empirically tested its application through data collected via an online survey of tourists who visited a well-known replica destination, Window of the World in Shenzhen, within three months prior to completing the survey. The findings reveal that tourists’ sensory experiences, except for smell and taste, are directly related to the intention to revisit. Positive sensory experiences influence perceived authenticity and well-being, subsequently leading to an increased intention to revisit. By providing empirical evidence on tourists’ sensory experiences at replica destinations in different cultural contexts, this study enriches the existing body of research and broadens the scope of replica tourism studies. In addition, an increasing number of replica tourism destinations play an important role in protecting traditional tourist destinations, especially historical sites. This study provides valuable insights for the future development of replica tourism destinations in promoting sustainable tourism. At the same time, this study extends the application of embodied cognition theory to replica tourism, contributing to theoretical development and offering new insights into the role of sensory experiences in shaping tourist behavior.
... Similarly, other studies and research could be cited, such as the relationship of tourism in general to well-being and quality of life (Uysal et al., 2016), well-being research in tourism as a preamble to happiness (Smith & Diekmann, 2017) and the impact of tourism on happiness (Carneiro & Eusébio, 2019), the relationship between tourism development and happiness from the perspective of the host population or residents of tourist destinations (Rivera et al., 2016), local residents' perceptions of tourism and happiness (Ozturk et al., 2015), subjective happiness of residents (Kafashpor et al., 2018), visitor behaviour and quality of life (Gholipour et al., 2016) or the happiness and limits of sustainable tourist mobility, establishing new conceptual models of citizen governance in this regard (Ram et al., 2014). Going further in predictive approaches, Vittersø et al. (2017) even propose the figure of the "emotional traveller", which allows predictions of behaviour among tourists in northern Norway based on their degree of happiness and civic engagement. ...
... Therefore, subjective perceptions of and objective needs for well-being are constantly changing and are influenced by a combination of factors, including economic development, the ecological environment, social culture, policies and laws, development strategies and models, and individual and community characteristics (Gillam & Charles, 2019;Smith & Diekmann, 2017). While White's (2010) framework provided a broad consideration of the concept of well-being, it does not highlight the multiple factors that influence well-being. ...
AThe World Bank (2017) defined the blue economy (BE) as a strategy that seeks to promote economic growth, social inclusion, and the protection or improvement of livelihoods while ensuring the environmental sustainability of ocean and coastal areas. In many countries, marine wildlife tourism (MWT) is identified as one of the priorities of the BE strategy. Research on the socioeconomic impacts of MWT has focused on macroeconomic assessments; however, the impacts on local residents have been insufficiently researched, particularly on their well-being experience. To address this knowledge gap, this study focuses on MWT and presents a new framework for the well-being experience of community residents based on White's (2010) theory of well-being. The framework includes both subjective and objective dimensions and covers economic, social (community), ecological, and cultural aspects of well-being experience. It aims to comprehensively reflect the level of community development and people's living status in the context of MWT and to provide a theoretical research framework and a policy support tool for the promotion of sustainable community development. The framework was applied to Sanniang Bay, China, a community that develops dolphin-watching tourism, to explore how MWT resulted in well-being experiences for local residents. Semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection method with 12 stakeholders including local residents were interviewed. The findings showed that the development of BE will not always result in a well-being experience for local communities and residents. The local residents should have the right to participate in decision making about ownership rights, distribution of resources and benefits, and BE management
... Leisure is considered a significant aspect for enhancing individual well-being (Smith & Diekmann, 2017). However, the daily lives of adults, including their leisure engagement, are shaped by societal institutions such as work and family. ...
... In the tourism literature, well-being has been chiefly linked to tourist experiences (Su et al., 2021). Tourist wellbeing has been defined as integrated well-being encompassing both hedonic and eudaimonic elements (Kay Smith & Diekmann, 2017;Filep et al., 2022). Various theoretical frameworks of well-being have been applied to tourist well-being studies, among which frameworks from positive psychology are the most used (Vada et al., 2020). ...
Despite a rise in studies applying the PERMA framework (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment) to tourist well-being, few studies explore how the five elements within the PERMA framework interconnect to contribute to the well-being of young tourists. This study employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews guided by the PERMA framework to investigate young tourists’ perceptions of well-being. Findings were analyzed using thematic analysis, revealing that the young tourists’ well-being is believed to encompass two key components: enjoyment, representing hedonic well-being, and meaning, representing eudaimonic well-being. Enjoyment may stem from tourist activities or social interactions, while meaning could be derived from actualizing core values or fulfilling travel purposes. Theoretically, the study advances the PERMA framework by strategically aligning its elements in direct response to various tourist experiences. This provides a novel perspective for future researchers, suggesting the potential use of the PERMA framework as an alternative approach for understanding young tourists’ well-being. Practically, the study offers insights for individuals to craft improved tourism plans, leveraging their travel experiences to enhance well-being. For example, individuals could benefit from being more mindful in designing and executing their travels, ensuring a positive tourist experience.
... More specifically, the case study is made for the "recreational" purpose only within the broad spectrum of longdistance travel. The choice of recreational travel purpose comes with two reasons: (1) recreational trips contribute a large share of long-distance trips, especially in a country like the US where popular recreational destinations like national parks require a significant amount of travel, and (2) the study of recreational travel is important from a life satisfaction and well-being perspective as the activity participation at recreational destinations is considered a top contributor to individuals' life satisfaction and overall well-being (Smith and Diekmann, 2017). This study defines long-distance recreational travel (LDRT) as the trips made to national parks by driving (partially or fully) at least 75 miles one-way. ...
The study of anticipated changes in travel behavior that could be brought by autonomous vehicles (AVs) has been widespread for commuting and short-distance daily travel, yet little attention has been given to long-distance travel. To address this research gap, this paper presents an analytical model for estimating public preference towards the adoption and use (in terms of frequency and length of trips) of AVs, focusing on long-distance recreational travel (LDRT). The model considers socio-demographics, trip-specific characteristics, in-vehicle time use-related factors, and attitu-dinal latent variables (AV usefulness, AV concern, driving enjoyment) as potential influencers of AV acceptance and demand. To analyze the proposed model, data were collected from a survey of visitors to US national parks conducted in Summer 2022, and the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was employed. The results indicate that the frequency and length of long-distance recreational trips will likely be higher in the AV era. This draws attention to tourism destination managers not only to manage the tourists' demand at destinations but also to manage traffic on the roads leading to the destinations. Additionally, the results show that the LDRT demand will continue to rise with the increase in AV acceptance due to the usefulness and potential for several in-vehicle activities offered by vehicle automation, despite concerns about system safety, data privacy, and legal liability. The study also reveals that some travelers will likely miss manual driving enjoyment in AV driving, particularly in unique travel settings like tourism travel, and thus might opt for manual driving options. Based on these findings, we advocate for the timely consideration of induced LDRT, and tourism travel demand generated by AVs-such as provisioning sustainable public transport options to recreational and tourism destinations.
... Over the past few decades, there has been a notable paradigm shift in the theoretical and methodological focus of tourism research, with a growing emphasis on well-being (George and Nedelea 2009;Kay Smith and Diekmann 2017). This transition has been marked by a diverse array of terminologies, including "quality of life", "life satisfaction", and "wellness" (Smith and Puczkó 2016). ...
Wellness tourism has emerged as a thriving sector in Kerala, India, renowned for its Ayurveda treatments, yoga, and holistic well-being offerings. However, a comprehensive framework capturing the key dimensions of wellness tourism experiences remains underexplored. This study aims to validate the physical, mental, spiritual, and environmental (PMSE) framework within the context of Kerala’s wellness tourism industry. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing data collected from wellness tourists who participated in various wellness services in Kerala. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the fitness of the PMSE framework. The findings reveal that mental experience and physical experience, with their respective sub-attributes, contribute significantly to the overall wellness tourism experience. The validated PMSE framework provides valuable insights for stakeholders, enabling them to enhance the quality and competitiveness of wellness tourism services in Kerala. By prioritizing the mental and physical dimensions of wellness experiences, Kerala can strengthen its position as a leading wellness tourism destination. This study advances the theoretical understanding of wellness tourism experiences and offers practical implications for destination management and service providers in Kerala’s wellness tourism industry.
Today, efforts are being made to make the staying of tourists in rural areas to be effective to improve their overall health and psychophysical condition. In this sense, the concept of rural well-being tourism is gaining importance. Considering that rural tourism contributes to the reduction of negative trends that burden life in rural areas as well as the fact that the principles on which rural tourism is based are complementary to the principles of green economy, the goal of article is to indicate perspectives for the development of rural well-being tourism in Serbia.
This study, guided by the broaden-and-build theory (BBT), examines the relationship between leisure travel frequency and tourists’ quality of life (QoL), with happiness and psychological resilience as key mediators. We also explore how tourists’ coping abilities and perceived vulnerability levels shape this relationship as moderators. Using cross-sectional surveys with Australian tourists at three time points (Study 1– n = 599, Study 2– n = 290, Study 3- n = 379), we evidence the connection between travel frequency and QoL, highlighting the mediating roles of happiness and psychological resilience. Individuals with weaker coping abilities and high vulnerability levels are also shown to benefit more from increased travel frequency in terms of QoL. These findings deepen our understanding of the link between leisure travel and QoL, identifying the types of tourists who gain the most from frequent travel. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed in line with these findings.
Previous research has established that tourism can bring happiness and well-being to tourists. However, the specific mechanisms by which travel leads to well-being are not yet fully understood. To address this knowledge gap, this study integrated Cognitive Appraisal Theory (CAT) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to predict tourist well-being. The study employed a quantitative approach and used a sample population of tourists who had traveled abroad for at least 3 days in the past 12 months. Data was collected from an online panel owned by the Centre of Tourism Research in Prince Edward Island (PEI), resulting in a final sample size of 396. Two-step analysis, including Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), was performed on the data. The findings support the predictions of CAT and SDT and establish connections between the theories. Specifically, the study found that SDT's psychological needs of autonomy and relatedness mediate the relationship between the positive emotions elicited by the trip and tourists’ psychological well-being.
Current scholarship tends to frame retreat-going, and the practices carried out therein, as emblematic of late-modern forms of self-work, understanding retreats as part of broader personal life projects of self-mastery and self-knowledge. For this article, I draw on empirical data to suggest that, although work on the self is typically the central concern for retreat-goers, they also question or outright reject the discipline of the retreat space by breaking its ‘rules’. Borrowing insights developed in the context of organisation studies, I describe two kinds of such ‘misbehaviour’ on retreat. First, I explore how retreat-goers misbehave in regards to the rules around intimacy, since sexual and erotic desire is usually discouraged but nonetheless features in retreat-goers’ experiences. Then, I explore examples of collective misbehaviour and suggest that retreat-goers often work together to ensure the retreat’s success by collaboratively breaking the rules through practices like gossip. This article contributes an understanding of how wellbeing practices might be usefully made sense of as social accomplishments, situated within the greater swathe of everyday life. But I also map out one way in which the concept of ‘misbehaviour’ might be applied to activities outside of the workplace.
We propose a dualistic framework embodied by interconnected hedonic and eudaimonic approaches that reveals the long-term benefits of tourism on well-being. We adopt a transformative tourism perspective to propose the eudaimonic approach and draw on spill over theory to identify the hedonic approach. The two approaches to post-trip well-being promotion were examined using time-lagged data collected via three survey waves from 208 Chinese tourists. The results indicate that, eudaimonically, the meaning in life experienced in tourism triggers authentic living after returning home, while hedonically, positive emotions during the trip foster post-travel satisfaction with tourism, both of which facilitate long-term well-being. This study not only contributes to tourism and well-being literature by establishing novel paths through which tourism can fulfill its underestimated potential for sustained well-being benefits, but also adds to diverse alternative fields pertaining to existential authenticity, spill over theory, and transformative tourism.
The tourism sector exerts a substantial and diverse influence on India's economic growth. Renowned for its rich cultural heritage, historical landmarks, and natural splendor, India has emerged as a favored destination for both domestic and international travelers, drawing millions annually. The study aims to highlight the following factors: per capita GDP, international tourist receipts, trade openness, and gross capital formation. The study employs the Heteroscedasticity Test, Normality Test, Breusch-Godfrey Serial Correlation LM Test, and CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) to examine the contribution of tourism to economic growth in India, comparing major countries from 2003 to 2020. The paper aims to provide an impact analysis of the relationship between economic growth and tourism in India, examining the multifaceted dimensions of this symbiotic relationship.
Purpose
Wellness tourism is growing in importance as increasing numbers of travelers place a priority on their health and well-being by traveling. This study examined the relationships between wellness tourism destination attributes, perceived quality, perceived mental health, eudaimonic well-being, overall satisfaction and behavioral loyalty to corroborate a model explaining wellness tourism destination loyalty in Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual model of this study was examined using a survey research design. The survey questionnaire was distributed to Chinese tourists who had previously traveled to Thailand and engaged in wellness tourism activities during their trip.
Findings
The findings revealed that healthful food choices, core facilities and staff service significantly influenced perceived quality. This perceived quality was a crucial factor in determining perceived mental health, which in turn impacted eudaimonic well-being. Overall satisfaction was directly influenced by perceived quality, perceived mental health and eudaimonic well-being. Additionally, perceived quality had a direct effect on behavioral loyalty.
Practical implications
With the growing global interest in wellness and travel, this study offers valuable insights for tourism marketers in Thailand to enhance their wellness tourism strategies. Tourism organizations should emphasize the quality of food, facilities and staff service to attract wellness-oriented travelers.
Originality/value
This study highlights the interconnectedness of perceived quality, good mental health and eudaimonic well-being. High-quality experiences contribute to improved mental health and in turn enhance eudaimonic well-being.
This study aims to determine the importance of tourists' perceptions of wellness tourism destinations and their performance based on tourists' perceived restorative environments. An empirical analysis was conducted using sample data collected through a survey with 428 tourists who have experienced wellness tourism. According to the analysis results, there were differences in the level of tourists' perception of the restorative environment. Based on these differences, tourists were subdivided into “the high‐perception group,” “the medium‐perception group,” and “the low‐perception group.” A clear difference in the importance and performance of wellness destinations considered by tourists based on clusters was also found. This segmentation based on the restorative environment can be applied to the development of tourism resource tailored to tourist characteristics.
With the emergence of wellness as a significant lifestyle consideration, its influence on various life aspects, including travel, is gaining attention. This study aims to explore the intricate relationship between social wellness, physiological needs, safety-security needs, self-actualization needs, and travel intention. Utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the research examined these connections within a sample of 317 respondents. Findings revealed that social wellness significantly influence physiological needs, which in turn, have a strong positive effect on safety-security needs, self-actualization needs, and travel intention. However, safety-security needs were not found to directly impact travel intention. Income was the only control variable affecting travel intention, with gender, age, and timing of last travel showing no significant influence. These insights carry valuable theoretical contributions, enriching the understanding of wellness-driven travel motivation and offering practical implications for service providers, marketers, and policymakers in the travel and tourism industry.
This study explored the influence of digital celebrities on gastronomic tourism through the lens of the broaden‐and‐build theory. Utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) and a case study focused on TikTok, the research examined how consumers' subjective well‐being (SWB) affects para‐social interaction, novelty seeking, and audience participation, and how these factors, in turn, influence behavioral intention in the domains of food and travel. The results validated the proposed hypotheses, underscoring the importance of SWB in shaping behavioral intention within gastronomic tourism driven by digital celebrities. This paper enhances the current literature by elucidating the role of digital celebrities in gastronomic tourism and offers practical insights for marketers and tourism professionals on optimizing the influence of digital celebrities to improve the gastronomic tourism experience.
This chapter revisits key messages conveyed by the contributors of this book and traces the scholarly progress in the quality of life (QOL) paradigms. Emerging key areas of inquiry, related to QOL, are emphasized such as developing appropriate mechanisms to promote SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), the remedial potential of non-pharmaceutical interventions, and surge in wellness tourism. It is further pointed out that sustained transformations and enhanced quality of life of both visited and visiting communities are key to strengthening resilience capacity of tourism systems. A roadmap, to boost QOL and sustainability, is recommended. The chapter closes by proposing a forward-looking cyclical transformative quality-of-life model which underlines the significance of transformation and heightened state of consciousness to build and strengthen resilient tourism systems by promoting holistic well-being and healthfulness.
This chapter focuses on the notion of health, wellness, and quality of life from the standpoint of tourists and local residents. Sustainability is the over-arching umbrella under which these terms and the quality of life phenomena are scrutinized. First, the concepts of health and wellness/well-being are described. This is followed by a critical discourse on the surging popularity of wellness tourism. Last, deliberations are offered regarding the association between quality of life and wellness.
This chapter first scrutinizes the dynamic notion of sustainable tourism. This is followed by insights on the significance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for the tourism system. SDG roadmap by the G20 Tourism Working Group is featured with insights on sustainable pathways adopted by several green tourism case studies. Furthermore, attention is drawn to the significance of the resilience concept. The chapter closes with a discussion of the critical association between the notions of resilience, SDGs, and well-being.
This chapter begins with offering some highlights from the previous chapters. It discusses the manner in which the work of the contributors is aligned with the relevant SDGs. Next, the notions of transformation, transformative experiences, and transformative learning are discussed and contextualized using a wellness/well-being standpoint. The chapter closes with insights on the potential of viable interdependencies between inner transformation and sustainability.
While tourism experiences are often recommended over material possessions for their superior potential to boost consumers’ well-being, the context-based nature of such tourism superiority remains under-investigated. This study accordingly examines the extent to which mindset (growth vs. fixed) defines the boundary conditions of this recommendation. Two experiments, designed with different mindset operationalizations, well-being measures, and data collection platforms, reveal that only individuals adopting a growth mindset, either chronically or temporarily primed, gain greater eudaimonia and, in turn, enjoy greater hedonia from tourism experiences than from material possessions. The findings extend the literature on experiential superiority, mindset theory, and well-being benefits of tourism while informing the mindset-based designs of tourism experiences and marketing materials to improve tourists’ well-being outcomes.
This study aims to reveal the levels and determinants of awareness, health perception and mental well-being of individuals receiving services in thermal facilities in Türkiye.The study was cross-sectional. The data were collectedthrough face-to-faceinterviewsbetweenNovember 1, 2023and January 30, 2024 from individuals receiving services in thermal facilities in Samsun and Kütahya provinces. A questionnaire form consisting of 4 sections was used to collect the data. The form consisted of personal information, healthy living awareness, healthperceptionand mental well-being. As a result of the study, 388 questionnaire forms were analyzed.38.4% of the participants were between the ages of 60-69 and 57.5% were female. There was a statistically significant difference between age, marital status, chronic disease, health perception, healthy living awareness and mental well-being. The mean value of the health perception of the participants was X̄=2.86 before thermal and X̄=3.24 after thermal. A statistically significant, positive and strong relationship was found between healthy living awareness, mental well-being and health perception (r>0.500, p<0.01)as a result of correlation analysis. Multiple regression analysis revealed that health perception and healthy life awareness predicted mental well-being (p<0.01). The most important result of the study was that mental well-beingincreased as health perception and healthy life awareness increased. The other important result of the study is that the level of health perception, healthy life awareness and mental well-being decreases as age increases. In additiontohealthy life awareness and mental well-being,those with chronic diseases had lower levels of health perception.
Although people have been intrigued by happiness for centuries, subjective well-being became a thriving topic of scientific inquiry only relatively recently, with the creation of valid and reliable well-being measures. Growing evidence suggests that happiness is associated with success in multiple domains, such as relationships, work, and health. However, objective life circumstances do not impact well-being as much as people believe, in part because of hedonic adaptation – one of the biggest obstacles in the pursuit of happiness. Fortunately, researchers have found that positive activities, like expressing gratitude or doing acts of kindness, can have a significant impact on well-being.
This study employs a qualitative research approach where focus groups (n = 11) with key stakeholders were used to understand how tourism investors view the concept of well-being in relation to tourism and the potential to use it as a tourism product resource. Findings validated by a wider group (n = 50) exposed the barriers and enablers of implementing well-being in this way. The potential for businesses and policymakers to transform these barriers into enablers was also identified. In addition, study findings were mapped onto a robust model extracted from the public health sector and applied in a tourism context using a systems theory approach. This further highlighted the potential offered to the fields of public health and tourism in the concept of well-being, and demonstrated the well-being value of tourism. Data from this research will aid tourism business practice and development by embedding a well-being philosophy for tourism destinations' strategies.
Background:
Poor health can cause unhappiness and poor health increases mortality. Previous reports of reduced mortality associated with happiness could be due to the increased mortality of people who are unhappy because of their poor health. Also, unhappiness might be associated with lifestyle factors that can affect mortality. We aimed to establish whether, after allowing for the poor health and lifestyle of people who are unhappy, any robust evidence remains that happiness or related subjective measures of wellbeing directly reduce mortality.
Methods:
The Million Women Study is a prospective study of UK women recruited between 1996 and 2001 and followed electronically for cause-specific mortality. 3 years after recruitment, the baseline questionnaire for the present report asked women to self-rate their health, happiness, stress, feelings of control, and whether they felt relaxed. The main analyses were of mortality before Jan 1, 2012, from all causes, from ischaemic heart disease, and from cancer in women who did not have heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive lung disease, or cancer at the time they answered this baseline questionnaire. We used Cox regression, adjusted for baseline self-rated health and lifestyle factors, to calculate mortality rate ratios (RRs) comparing mortality in women who reported being unhappy (ie, happy sometimes, rarely, or never) with those who reported being happy most of the time.
Findings:
Of 719,671 women in the main analyses (median age 59 years [IQR 55-63]), 39% (282,619) reported being happy most of the time, 44% (315,874) usually happy, and 17% (121,178) unhappy. During 10 years (SD 2) follow-up, 4% (31,531) of participants died. Self-rated poor health at baseline was strongly associated with unhappiness. But after adjustment for self-rated health, treatment for hypertension, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, depression, or anxiety, and several sociodemographic and lifestyle factors (including smoking, deprivation, and body-mass index), unhappiness was not associated with mortality from all causes (adjusted RR for unhappy vs happy most of the time 0·98, 95% CI 0·94-1·01), from ischaemic heart disease (0·97, 0·87-1·10), or from cancer (0·98, 0·93-1·02). Findings were similarly null for related measures such as stress or lack of control.
Interpretation:
In middle-aged women, poor health can cause unhappiness. After allowing for this association and adjusting for potential confounders, happiness and related measures of wellbeing do not appear to have any direct effect on mortality.
Funding:
UK Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK.
Management implications: This paper provides original insights into how a cultural ecosystem services framework can help to make sense of the tourism–nature–wellbeing nexus. This perspective advocates an approach to environmental and tourism management which not only takes into account human impacts on natural resources but also how natural resources impact on human psychological well-being. This provides a novel lens through which to manage tourism activity such as by ensuring maximum opportunities for sustainable engagements with nature. Tourism management can also benefit from understanding the importance of these ‘non-material benefits of nature’ in tourist motivations, expectations, behaviours and levels of satisfaction.
The setting of a traveler's goals can influence the traveler's life satisfaction. The travel goal valence principle states that life satisfaction of tourists is high when their travel goals are related more to (1) intrinsic than extrinsic motives, (2) abstract than concrete desired
states, (3) growth than basic needs, (4) approach of desired states than avoidance of undesired states, (5) deprived than nondeprived needs, and (6) flow than nonflow activities. The main purpose of this study is to test the theoretical propositions stemming from the travel goal valence principle
in the context of leisure travel to a national wildlife park (Study 1) and leisure travel experienced recently (Study 2). In Study 1 a convenience sampling technique was used by means of a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 228 fully completed questionnaires were received. Study 2
made use of a web-based survey and a random sample technique was used. A total of 254 questionnaires were used in the statistical calculations of Study 2. The results from both studies indicated that traveler/tourist's life satisfaction can be increased when they have intrinsic goals, growth-based
goals, and goals related to flow activities. To enhance traveler/tourist well-being, it is recommended that marketers in the tourism industry implement programs and services guided by the goal valence model.
Health and Wellness Tourism takes an innovative look at this rapidly growing sector of today's thriving tourism industry. This book examines the range of motivations that drive this diverse sector of tourists, the products that are being developed to meet their needs and the management implications of these developments. A wide range of international case studies illustrate the multiple aspects of the industry and new and emerging trends including spas, medical wellness, life-coaching, meditation, festivals, pilgrimage and yoga retreats. The authors also evaluate marketing and promotional strategies and assess operational and management issues in the context of health and wellness tourism. This text includes a number of features to reinforce theory for advanced students of hospitality, leisure and tourism and related disciplines.
Escapism has arguably always been an important element of tourism, but the visitor gaze has usually been externally rather than internally directed. However, the growth of the holistic tourism sector suggests that there is an increasing desire to focus on the self rather than the Other', and ‘existential’ rather than 'objective 'authenticity (Wang 1999). This represents escapism of a different kind—a paradoxical desire to escape but in order to ‘find’ oneself! Numerous factors have precipitated this growth, not least the apparent anomie of postmodern society. This paper will discuss the way in which holistic products are being developed to meet the changing needs of tourists, considering some of the factors that have apparently engendered this development. This will include an analysis of typologies of activities, profiles of consumers and typical motivations. Holistic retreats tend to offer combinations of therapies and counselling, pathways to spiritual development, creative enhancement, and many other routes to the reconciliation of body, mind and spirit. The latter part of the paper will focus on some examples of this phenomenon, illustrating the diversity of needs that are being catered for within this emergent sector.
Background
Mental health disorders are major contributors to the global burden of disease and their inverse relationship with physical activity is widely accepted. However, research on the association between physical activity and positive mental health outcomes is limited. Happiness is an example of a positive construct of mental health that may be promoted by physical activity and could increase resilience to emotional perturbations. The aim of this study is to use a large multi-country dataset to assess the association of happiness with physical activity volume and its specificity to intensity and/or activity domain.Methods
We analysed Eurobarometer 2002 data from 15 countries (n¿=¿11,637). This comprised one question assessing self-reported happiness on a six point scale (dichotomised: happy/unhappy) and physical activity data collected using the IPAQ-short (i.e. walking, moderate, vigorous) and four domain specific items (i.e. domestic, leisure, transport, vocation). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between happiness and physical activity volume adjusted for sex, age, country, general health, relationship status, employment and education. Analyses of intensity and domain specificity were assessed by logistic regression adjusted for the same covariates and physical activity volume.ResultsWhen compared to inactive people, there was a positive dose¿response association between physical activity volume and happiness (highly active: OR¿=¿1.52 [1.28-1.80]; sufficiently active: OR¿=¿1.29 [1.11-1.49]; insufficiently active: OR¿=¿1.20 [1.03-1.39]). There were small positive associations with happiness for walking (OR¿=¿1.02 [1.00-1.03]) and vigorous-intensity physical activity (OR¿=¿1.03 [1.01-1.05). Moderate-intensity physical activity was not associated with happiness (OR¿=¿1.01 [0.99-1.03]). The strongest domain specific associations with happiness were found for ¿a lot¿ of domestic (OR¿=¿1.42 [1.20-1.68]) and ¿some¿ vocational (OR¿=¿1.33 [1.08-1.64]) physical activity. Happiness was also associated with ¿a lot¿ of leisure physical activity (OR¿=¿1.15 [1.02-1.30]), but there were no significant associations for the transport domain.Conclusions
Increasing physical activity volume was associated with higher levels of happiness. Although the influence of physical activity intensity appeared minimal, the association with happiness was domain specific and was strongest for ¿a lot¿ of domestic and/or ¿some¿ vocational physical activity. Future studies to establish causation are indicated and may prompt changes in how physical activity for improving mental health is promoted.
Tourism research on topics such as happiness, quality of life of tour-ists, and tourist well-being has flourished in recent years. This literature clarifies the subjective value of tourist experiences, provides new direc-tions for tourism branding and promotion, and opens doors to fresh re-search on the potential benefits of tourist experiences to mental health. Subjective well-being theory has been typically used by tourism re-searchers to help conceptualize and measure tourist happiness. In lay terms, this theory suggests that happiness is life satisfaction and pleas-ure; the theory is popular and useful but cannot explain tourist happi-ness. To craft a more complete picture of tourist happiness, a deeper qualitative appreciation of meaningful tourist experiences and special and engaging tourist moments is required. This brief critique highlights the problems of conceptualizing tourist happiness and suggests an al-ternative approach to the subjective well-being theory.
Tourism is arguably one of the largest self-initiated commercial interventions to create well-being and happiness on the entire planet. Yet there is a lack of specific attention to the ways in which we can better understand and evaluate the relationship between well-being and travel. The recent surge of scholarly work in positive psychology concerned with human well-being and flourishing represents a contemporary force with the potential to embellish and augment much current tourism study. This book maps out the field and then draws links between tourists, tourism and positive psychology. it discusses topics such as the issue of excess materialism and its fragile relationship with well-being, the value of positive psychology to lifestyle businesses, and the insights of the research field to spa and wellness tourism. This volume will interest those who study and practise tourism as well as scholars and graduate students in a range of disciplines such as psychology, sociology, business and leisure.
This research explores the spiritual benefits of travel for older adults and illustrates how travel meets seniors' self-actualization and spiritual growth needs. The theoretical point of departure for this research is seniors' quest for meaning and self-actualization, which act as push factors inducing older adults to travel. Semistructured depth interviews were conducted with 16 retired senior informants who had extensive travel experience. Using an interpretive method, this research reveals four key themes that illustrate the spiritual benefits of travel, thereby extending the growing literature on the motivations of senior travelers. These themes are described as “traveling generates meaning for older adults,” “traveling reveals the self to older adults,” “traveling encourages older adults to better understand others,” and “traveling enables older adults to better understand their relationship to nature”. In sum, the themes describe how older adults may meet their unique spiritual needs through travel and thereby enhance their spiritual development. This research represents one of a few studies examining senior tourism to employ an interpretive method and provides rich insights as a result. This research also extends the emerging research on spirituality in marketing by illustrating how the tourism industry may benefit from a perspective that considers the spiritual benefits of consumption. The research findings suggest that the intangible spiritual benefits of travel, in addition to the tangible benefits, should be highlighted in travel offers and tourism communications targeted to older adults. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The pursuit of happiness is a defining theme of the modern era. But what if people aren't very good at it? This and related questions are explored in this book, the first comprehensive philosophical treatment of happiness in the contemporary psychological sense. In these pages, Dan Haybron argues that people are probably less effective at judging, and promoting, their own welfare than common belief has it. For the psychological dimensions of well-being, particularly our emotional lives, are far richer and more complex than we tend to realize. Knowing one's own interests is no trivial matter. As well, we tend to make a variety of systematic errors in the pursuit of happiness. We may need, then, to rethink traditional assumptions about human nature, the good life, and the good society. Thoroughly engaged with both philosophical and scientific work on happiness and well-being, this book will be a definitive resource for philosophers, social scientists, policy makers, and other students of human well-being.
All human beings have spontaneous needs for happiness, self-understanding and love. In Feeling Good: The Science of Well Being, psychiatrist Robert Cloninger describes a way to coherent living that satisfies these strong basic needs through growth in the uniquely human gift of self-awareness. The scientific findings that led Dr Cloninger to expand his own views in a stepwise manner during 30 years of research and clinical experience are clearly presented so that readers can consider the validity of his viewpoint for themselves. The principles of well-being are based on a non-reductive scientific paradigm that integrates findings from all the biomedical and psychosocial sciences. Reliable methods are described for measuring human thought and social relationships at each step along the path of self-aware consciousness. Practical mental exercises for stimulating the growth of self-awareness are also provided. The methods are supported by data from brain imaging, genetics of personality, and longitudinal biopsychosocial studies. Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being will be of value to anyone involved in the sciences of the mind or the treatment of mental disorders. It will also interest theologians, philosophers, social scientists, and lay readers because it provides contemporary scientific concepts and language for addressing the perennial human questions about being, knowledge, and conduct.
This book provides an overview of the phenomenon of volunteer tourism, its sources and its development as a concept; and focuses on the potential positive social and environmental benefits of volunteer tourism, and the prerequisites for a successful experience. Chapter 2 examines alternative tourism experiences and how tourists themselves construct them, then conceptualizes the concept of volunteer tourism within those boundaries of alternative tourism and, subsequently, mass tourism. Chapter 3 examines one of the 60 environmental projects undertaken by Youth Challenge International (YCI) between 1991 and 1995, which provides a microsocial context for the examination of the Santa Elena Rainforest Reserve experience of YCI participants. Chapter 4 presents the data obtained from the in-depth interviews with participants from Australia, over the 3 years of the Costa Rica project. Chapter 5 examines the elements of ecotourism, volunteerism and serious leisure in conjunction with the themes that emerged from the participant's definitions of the experience and links them to related information in the interviews and the literature. Chapter 6 focuses on the centrality of the natural environment. Chapter 7 explores how volunteer tourism experiences actually contribute to the development of self, framing the experience in the very words of the participants. Chapter 8 examines the growing convergence of aims between local communities and the tourism sector. Chapter 9 argues that the alternative tourism experiences should not be reduced to a dialogic model of impossible realities related to dialectal materialism. Instead, its understanding should be grounded in human interactions and the concrete social reality in which it takes place.
This book deals with the issue of how travel and tourism, if developed in a proper form, can contribute to human transformation, growth and development, and change human behaviour and our relationship with the world. The volume investigates the experiences offered by travel and tourism that can change travellers as human beings and their relationships and interactions with natural, socio-cultural, economic, political and technological environments. The book has been published in two volumes. This first volume focuses on the tourist perspective and the tourist self. It consists of 16 chapters covering different types of tourism, including: wellness, retreat, religious and spiritual tourism; extreme sports, backpacking and cultural tourism; WWOOFing and ecotourism; and volunteer and educational tourism. This book is primarily intended for tourism students and tourism programmes in business and non-business schools. However, it could also appeal to students, academics and professionals from disciplines that deal with human development and behavioural changes.
This research note presents a new tool for analysing the benefits of landscapes for visitors and tourists using the Cultural Ecosystems Services (CES) framework as defined by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) in 2005. The authors reflect on the challenges of defining Cultural Ecosystem Services and interpreting and translating these categorisations for the purposes of questionnaire research. Previous studies had noted the difficulties inherent in capturing many of the intangible elements inherent in the CES terminology. Familiarisation with CES categories arguably affords new opportunities to bring together many of the disparate elements which have often been managed independently in landscape and tourism studies (e.g. cultural and intangible heritage, eco-systems, socio-cultural impacts of tourism and community-based tourism). A questionnaire was designed consisting of nineteen statements which related closely to the CES categorisations. It was translated into eight languages and distributed in autumn 2015 to visitors in Belgium, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Macedonia, Netherlands and Poland in six different kinds of landscape: forest, mountains, lakeside, seaside, mountains, desert and a combination of nature and manmade. In total, 876 valid questionnaires were obtained and were proven statistically to make a useful contribution to the field of CES research, landscapes and tourism studies.
The relationship of a vacation to global and domain?specific life satisfaction was examined. Comparison of pre?and postvacation measures indicated an increase in global life satisfaction and a slight increase in satisfaction within the domain of money, but no significant change in the domains of marriagel/family, work, leisure, community, or outdoors/nature. Retrospective measures of domain and global vacation satisfactions increased the predictability of postvacation satisfaction significantly for four of the six specific domains and for overall satisfaction. The domain specificity of satisfactions was supported only for the domains of marriage/family and work. The results are discussed in terms of their support for a domain?specific approach to life satisfaction.
While there has been a growing interest in the relationship between perceived tourism impacts and residents’ quality of life, little is known about how residents’ well-being is affected by actual tourist arrivals. This article studies the effect of international tourist arrivals on the subjective well-being—happiness and life satisfaction—of residents in European countries. Data come from the six waves of the European Social Survey, conducted in 32 countries in 2002-2013. The results of the OLS fixed-effects and instrumental-variable estimations suggest that tourist arrivals reduce residents’ life satisfaction. This negative relationship tends to be more pronounced in countries where tourism intensity is relatively high, as well as among people living in rural areas. In addition, tourist arrivals have a greater negative relationship with the evaluative component of subjective well-being (life satisfaction) than its affective component (happiness).
Experiential marketing and the quest to create memorable and extraordinary customer experiences have become central to tourism. However, implementing the concept of experiential marketing has been problematic due to a lack of knowledge regarding what makes experiences memorable, as well as inattention to the subjective and personal nature of experiences. This study explores the nature of individual experiences, particularly with regard to personal outcomes, emotions and meanings, by investigating tourists’ experiences of the same activity in three different consumption contexts. The influence of consumption context as well as significant differences in personal outcomes were evident, and more profound and meaningful than previous research suggests. Findings point to a need to understand tourist consumption experiences beyond hedonic enjoyment of the moment, and consider their broader implications on well-being and quality of life. Implications for tourism providers and experiential marketing are discussed.
Transformational Tourism deals with the important issue of how travel and tourism can change human behaviour and have a positive impact on the world. The book focuses on human development in a world dominated by post-9/11 security and political challenges, economic and financial collapses, and environmental threats. It identifies various types of tourism that can transform human beings, such as educational, volunteer, survival, community-based, eco, farm, extreme, religious, spiritual, wellness, and mission tourism.
Geothermal springs constitute a major tourism resource, providing spectacular settings, recreation facilities, a recognised value in treatments beneficial for health and wellness, a sense of heritage and adventure, and links with the natural environment. Health and wellness tourism accounts for a significant proportion of the world’s tourism consumption, with components ranging from hot spring bathing for leisure and recreation, through mineral water use in health treatments under the supervision of highly specialised medical professionals, to water treatments in the wellness and beauty therapy sector and the use of mineral water for drinking purposes. This makes it an economically and socially important area of tourism demanding in-depth analysis. This book explores health and wellness tourism from a range of perspectives including usage, heritage, management, technology, environmental and cultural features, and marketing. © 2009 Patricia Erfurt-Cooper and Malcolm Cooper. All rights reserved.
Classical hedonistic utilitarianism makes the following claims: that our fundamental moral obligation is to make the world as good as we can make it (consequentialism); that the world is made better just when the creatures in it are made better off (welfarism); and that creatures are made better off just in case they receive a greater balance of pleasure over pain (hedonism). The third of these claims is essentially a theory of well-being. Other forms of utilitarianism make use of different accounts of well-being, but whatever the version of utilitarianism, well-being appears in the foundations. Thus a complete examination of utilitarianism includes a study of well-being. We can get at our topic in more familiar ways as well, and our topic is of interest independently of the role it plays in utilitarian theory. We can get at our topic by taking note of some obvious facts: that some lives go better than others; that some things that befall us in life are good, and others bad; that certain things are harmful to people and others beneficial. Each of these facts involves the concept of well-being, or welfare, or of a life going well for the person living it. Many other familiar expressions – ‘quality of life’, ‘a life worth living’, ‘the good life’, ‘in one’s best interest’, ‘What’s in it for me?’ – involve the same notion. We thus make claims about well-being all the time. Such claims naturally give rise to a philosophical question: What is it that makes a life go well or badly for the person living it?
How people conceive of happiness reveals much about who they are and the values they hold dear. The modern conception of happiness as private good feeling is the result of a long sequence of changes in dominant conceptions of the ends of life and of humanity’s place in the cosmos. This invites reflection on how the very vagueness of happiness can account for its powerful claim to render diverse values commensurable. In arguing for the importance of a critical, ethnographic approach to happiness— one concerned less with gauging how happy people are than with how happiness figures as an idea, mood, or motive in everyday life—we highlight its relationship to values, as well as questions of scope, virtue, and responsibility. Whether real or elusive, the pursuit of happiness structures time in specific ways and is largely other-oriented, insofar as one’s own happiness would seem best left in the hands of others.
This chapter will take the reader on a voyage where the perceptions of tourism impacts and the satisfaction with particular life domains are discussed. The perceived tourist experience will generate either a positive or a negative affect in various life domains. This influences the sense of well-being in these life domains and leads to satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Both of these play an important role in overall life satisfaction. The subjective, well-being impact of tourism is based on tourists’ perceptions of positive or negative experiences during the trip to a tourist destination. The perceptions by inbound and outbound tourists of positive or negative affects in a specified life domain play an important role in the increase of positive or negative affects within the relevant life domains. Satisfaction in the various life domains is important in determining satisfaction with life overall (subjective indicator of quality-of-life).
This paper applies Self-Categorisation Theory to examine issues of role ambiguity and the balance between prosocial behaviour and personal benefits in volunteer tourism. Using interviews with returned volunteer tourists, the cognitive processing of their experiences was analysed; particularly the processes of individuation uncovered through "I" statements, and depersonalisation, through impersonal "you" statements. Results revealed that "I" statements described the tourist experience and personal benefits of volunteering, whilst impersonal "you" statements described the volunteering experience. Furthermore, as the theory predicts, the depersonalisation process (impersonal "you" statements) co-occurred with prosocial behaviour (co-operation, altruism, empathy, and shared norms). The findings suggest new and promising communication-based methods to better understand tourists' self-assigned roles and prosocial behaviours.
This paper argues that before the tourism industry can truly individualize products, experiences, and niche markets successfully, we need to better understand exactly what benefits a tourist is seeking to obtain through the symbolic consumption of tourist products. This study has made the first attempt to empirically test a model combining self-concept, self-congruity, motivation, and symbolic consumption behavior within a tourism setting. Based on a sample of 410 young “overseas experience” (OE) travelers, the results reaffirm that the self is multidimensional, whilst also suggesting that when buying a product, or consuming an experience abroad, the tourist looks beyond functional utility to social meaning. This study further suggests that when making consumption decisions, a tourist forms perceptions based on the likelihood that the product or experience will be congruent with their self.
Transformative experience in a hospitality service setting is an under-addressed area. The aim of this study was to understand the transformative guest experience at retreat centers and highlight the mechanism that helped trigger the changes. The analysis of 119 online guest reviews about four popular retreats in Thailand dissected the transformative retreat experience, including guests’ pre-trip state of mind, domains of changes, retreat activity participation, and stimuli in the service environment. The changes were further conceptualized on a series of spectra based on durability, magnitude, and tangibility. The findings may serve as an integrative framework to understand the mechanism by which the retreat experience acts as a functional means to guests’ well-being and personal transformation. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were discussed, followed by recommendations for future research.
The point of departure of this paper is the recently emphasised distinction between psychological theories of happiness, on the one hand, and normative theories of well-being, on the other. With this distinction in mind, I examine three possible kinds of relation that might exist between (psychological) happiness and (normative) well-being; to wit, happiness may be understood as playing a central part in (1) a formal theory of well-being, (2) a substantive theory of well-being or (3) as an indicator for well-being. I note that, in the relevant literature, happiness is mostly discussed in terms of either (1) or (2). In this paper, I attempt to motivate a shift of focus away from such accounts of happiness and towards (3), i.e. its epistemic role. When examined in connection to (normative) well-being, (psychological states of) happiness and unhappiness should be understood as psychological states that inform individuals about the contribution of various activities, pursuits, or situations to their well-being or ill-being.
Despite the importance of the youth tourism market to the tourism industry, research on the impact of tourism on quality of life (QOL) of this market and on the factors that influence this impact is still very limited. This article contributes to overcoming the research gap in this
field, implementing a segmentation approach based on the impact of tourism on features related to several domains of youth tourists' QOL (physical health, psychological features, social relationships, and environment). This approach was empirically tested with a sample of university students.
The impact of tourism on youth tourists' QOL was assessed using an adapted version of the WHOQOL-BREF scale. The results reveal that tourism has an impact on the QOL of youth tourists and that this market is heterogeneous regarding the perceptions of this impact. Moreover, travel motivations,
host–tourist interactions, the travel group, and the type of destination visited seem to be the factors that have a higher influence on the perceptions of the impact of tourism on QOL. The article ends with some theoretical and practical contributions to the marketing and development
of tourism destinations.
This study aims to examine the usability and usefulness of ethnographic approaches in new service development (NSD) in tourism. This paper discusses and describes what kind of information is gained through the process. The paper includes a case study which uses an ethnographic approach in one phase of the NSD process. The data was collected during a tourism product test phase on-site by participant observation, conducting surveys and holding group interviews. The results show that an ethnographic approach brings highly versatile and detailed information that benefits different phases of NSD and the development of the service concept, service process and service system. Some challenges were identified during the data collection, mainly related to participant observation. This study contributes to tourism management literature by providing an empirical example of how consumers are involved in NSD in the tourism industry and how an ethnographic approach can be utilised in NSD.
This conceptual paper explores the use of psychology, especially positive psychology, to inform the design of travel experiences for a specific health outcome - enhanced participant wellbeing or mental health. It extends the concept of sustainable tourism as a tool for local, regional and societal improvement. Mental health is a growing issue in many developed countries: 30% of Australians report depressive symptoms, with implications for social sustainability. The paper reviews how positive psychology seeks to combine hedonic, eudemonic and social wellbeing into the integrated concept of “flourishing”, creating positive emotions, engagement, and meaning. It uses the charity challenge model to explore tourism experiences that enhance participant wellbeing. Charity challenges are participatory, group travel events combined with extended physical activity, awareness-raising, and fund-raising for charity. These events inherently combine recognised pathways to wellbeing, e.g. being active, doing something meaningful, giving, and connecting with others. Other principles from positive psychology, such as intentional and volitional activity, goal attainment, activation of signature strengths, experiencing positive emotions/gratification, and capitalisation on positive experiences, can be incorporated into the event design to foster wellbeing outcomes. The paper suggests how this design might take shape, as well as management implications and further research questions.
The purpose of this study is to better understand local residents’ support for tourism development by exploring residents’ perceived value of tourism development, life domain satisfaction (material/non-material), and overall quality of life in their community. The study provides the theoretical and empirical evidence of the relationships among those constructs. Using a sample of residents from five different tourism destinations, the results of a structural equation modeling approach indicated that residents’ perceived value of tourism development positively affects non-material and material life domain satisfaction; thereby, it contributes to overall quality of life. Finally, overall quality of life is an effective predictor of support for further tourism development.
While the effects of vacation on tourists have been frequently discussed in the Western context, research endeavors to understand such effects in a non-Western context are rather limited. The current study aimed at investigating Chinese tourists’ subjective well-being and its potential changes associated with vacation experiences. The survey of 302 Chinese tourists confirmed the positive effect of satisfaction with service aspects of travel/tourism phases on satisfaction with travel/tourism services, the positive effect of trip reflections and satisfaction with travel/tourism services on satisfaction with travel experiences, and the direct positive effect of satisfaction with travel experiences on travelers’ SWB. This study further explored the corresponding roles of travel duration and frequency. The results suggested a moderating effect of vacation duration on the link between tourist satisfaction and SWB; vacation frequency did not have such an effect. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were discussed, followed by recommendations for future research.
This pedagogical essay examines learning about leisure philosophies by contrasting counter-hegemonic praxis to dominant contemporary ideologies of work in the neoliberal age. Principles of shabbat and Slow Foods were engaged to explore concepts of leisure and time in a senior leisure philosophies course; a teaching memoir contextualizes emergent insights to work/life imbalance among students and professors. We draw on Paulo Freire and Mark Kingwell to suggest conscientization emerged through an experiential and reflective interplay of principles and actions. Critique reflects on concerns involving intellectual labour and the academic workforce in the modern knowledge economy. Humanistic recognition that leisure can foster better living through awareness of being and understanding time as life can contribute to a good life, social change and justice in the academic workplace and beyond. What we learned draws attention to structural dimensions of political economy relevant to a broader understanding of leisure and wellbeing in Canada.
This paper presents an analysis of visitors who engage with retreat tourism, a specialty subsector of wellness tourism. Retreats are usually centres or venues with a pre-prescribed aim of providing a combination of activities, practices and treatments aimed to balance body, mind and spirit in calming, supportive contexts. Wider research has been conducted in recent years on health and wellness tourism, which usefully gives an overview of product and tourist typologies. More in-depth research is presented here, beyond the spa and medical sectors, which have gained the most attention to date. The aim of this work follows on from the author's previous work on retreat operators, to give insight this time to the retreat visitor. Analyses of visitor profiles, characteristics, motivations and behaviours are presented. Methodologically, interviews, questionnaires, participant observation and secondary content analysis are all used to survey retreat participants in different countries. A combination of purpose-built, temporary venues and multi-location retreat companies were sampled to give a breadth of touristic experience. Visitor perspectives on preferred activities, operational issues, regulation and feedback about their experiences are presented within their own right and also within the context of wider wellness tourism, for comparative purposes. Research findings indicate important differences between retreat visitors and general tourists in terms of the often very personal experiences encountered, and therefore the concomitant responsibility of the sector to provide quality instructors and adequate care. The dearth of prior research on this specific special interest tourism niche allows for this work to fill an existing gap in the research literature.
Perhaps no other area of tourism more needs a philosophy than wellness tourism with its transcendental aims and spiritual dimension. This paper explores Heidegger's rich philosophical concept of the ringing of the fourfold—an intimate relationship between earth, sky, mortals and divinities that Heidegger says reveals wholeness and authenticity and brings us into intimate contact with the world in the amazing event that is human existence. This paper argues that the ringing of the fourfold may be a philosophical basis for wellness and suggests tourism may actually facilitate the ringing of the fourfold. It uses the fourfold to explore how wellness tourism might balance and integrate lives unsettled and fractured by runaway time, frantic busyness, disconnection from the natural world and other people, loss of spirituality, and longing for a sense of place in an alien, impersonal and out-of-control world. First, it explores the possible origin of our lack of wellness by explicating Heidegger's ‘epoch of technicity’, a time when the world is seen as something to be managed and exploited for human gain by people who are reduced to little more than the engineer-servants of this management and exploitation. This part of the paper uses tourism literature to confirm the accuracy of Heidegger's predictions of rampant consumerism, ecological devastation, corporate greed, personal hubris, artificial community created by technology, and stress created by too little time, isolation, loss of identity and exhaustion. Next, the paper proffers a philosophical description of existential wellness by exploring Heidegger's concept of the fourfold as an alternative way to understand and experience the world. By returning to the tourism literature again, we show how touring may facilitate appreciation of the fourfold (and a sense of wellness) by bringing tourists into an authentic encounter with not only earth and sky (grounding and freeing nature) but also divinities and mortals who together create a world unlike the world of technicity. Finally, the paper looks at the implications of wellness tourism as a site for the ringing of the fourfold.
There is broad support for the notion that ecosystem services influence human well-being (HWB), however, the means to measure such an effect are elusive. Measures of HWB are commonly used within the fields of psychology, economics, and international development, but thus far have not been integrated fully into ecosystem service assessments. We examine the multidimensional nature of HWB and discuss the need for a robust framework that captures its complex relationship with ecosystem services. We review several well-known HWB indices and describe the adaptation of two frameworks-the Economist Intelligence Unit's Quality of Life Index and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework-to evaluate county-level HWB within the Albemarle-Pamlico Basin (Virginia and North Carolina, USA) using a stakeholder-engaged approach. We present maps of HWB that illustrate the results of both frameworks, discuss the feedback from stakeholders that guided indicator and data selection, and examine the observed differences in HWB throughout the basin. We conclude with suggestions for enhancing the role of ecosystem services in HWB indices.