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MADEIRA ISLAND TOURISTS PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE AND WELLBEING

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Abstract

Tourism is in a state of imminent change that it is already being acknowledged by high entities such the European Travel Commission. Tourists want something more than a mere visit to a new place. They want the whole experience filled with authenticity, and high quality; they want it to mean something in their lives. This paper presents the exploratory results of the “Tourist Wellbeing Project” developed in Madeira Island, Portugal, for the last three years. The project brings Positive Psychology concepts to tourism to discover Madeiran tourists’ psychological profile. The most enjoyed activities/experiences in Madeira were identified by the tourists. Participants were 471 tourists who visited Madeira at least once. Data was collected, in the streets, and through social media, using the Tourism Wellbeing Scale (TWS). This scale evaluates global wellbeing through the variables: positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, accomplishment, creativity, optimism, and spirituality. Tourists with higher wellbeing are people with 40 years old or less, lower qualifications, retired and/or students, first-time visitors, and coming mainly from Portugal mainland. Regarding the development of a psychological profile based on tourist’s wellbeing activities/experiences, it was observed that an optimal experience in Madeira includes positive emotions, creativity, and relationships. Participants identify gastronomy, Levada’s walks, and landscape as the three most enjoyed activities/experiences. Results are discussed, and conclusions align with the fact that people who vacationed in Madeira want to have fun, but also to experience something unique, and original while developing new and positive relationships. This study has implications for practice since it brings new insights about Madeira tourists beyond economic endeavours, and thus opening doors to offer customized experiences considering wellbeing as a central part of the tourism products in Madeira.
MADEIRA ISLAND TOURISTS
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE AND
WELLBEING
Soraia Garcês | Margarida Pocinho | Saúl Neves de Jesus
T-FORUM GLOBAL CONFERENCE 4-7 November
2020
Algarve
Explore the tourists’
psychological profile and
the activities/experiences
that bring them more
wellbeing
“Tourists Wellbeing Project”
INTRODUCTION
Positive Psychology/
Wellbeing Madeira Island
Tourism
Experiences
https://www.touristwellbeingproject.com/
Data collection from
February to December 2019
Tourists from 37 countries
Portugal, Germany, UK,
Czech Republic
METHODOLOGY
Tourism Wellbeing Scale
(8 items;
alpha .83)
SPSS & content
analysis
471 tourists
(18-84 years)
TWS items ranking
1. “I had lots of fun” – Positive emotions (M=
6.09;SD =1.07)
2. “I faced this experience as unique/original
opportunity” – Creativity (M=5.77; SD=1.27)
3. “I felt good in the relationship Ideveloped with
new people” Relationships (M=5.68; SD=
1.26)
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Gender and age wellbeing differences
Gender:No statistically significant differences
Age: <40 years showed higher overall
wellbeing
Positive emotions and creativity with
moderate effect size.
Achievement and relationships with small-
moderate effect size.
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Qualifications/education level
High school degree or less showed higher
overall wellbeing than bachelor’s or higher
degree.
Achievement and spirituality with a small
moderate effect size.
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Job situation (Active and non-active workers)
Non-active workers showed higher overall
wellbeing than active workers.
Creativity, engagement, achievement and
spirituality with a small moderate effect
size.
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
First-timers and repeat visitors (41.4%)
First-timers showed higher overall wellbeing
than repeat visitors.
Meaning and Achievement with a small
effect size.
Creativity with a small-moderate effect size.
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Countries
Portugal higher on meaning (small), creativity
and relationships (small-moderate) than
Germany.
Czech Republic higher on creativity (small-
moderate) than Germany.
UK higher on relationships (small-moderate)
than Germany.
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Activities/experiences and psychological
profile
Madeira most enjoyed
activities/experiences
1. Gastronomy (food, drink and
restaurants).
2. Levada’s walks.
3. Landscape.
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Activities/experiences and psychological profile
First psychological profile of the Madeira tourists
1. Positive emotions.
2. Unique and original experiences/opportunities.
3. Positive relationships.
4. Engagement in local activities.
5. Optimist.
6. Achievement.
7. Meaning in their lives.
8. Spiritual.
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Activities/experiences and psychological
profile:
Activities that promoted more wellbeing
1. People and hospitality.
2. Gastronomy (food, drink and restaurants).
3. Cultural events (Festivities, Night life).
FINDINGS
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
CONCLUSION
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
Overall,
The Madeira tourists is someone who is looking
to:
have some fun,
unique and original experiences,
interact and develop relationships with new
people,
CONCLUSION
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
The results showed that the activities and
experiences lived on the island contribute to the
increase of tourists’ wellbeing, and, thus, promoting
an optimal experience in this destination.
Develop and offer customized experiences based on
tourists’ psychological characteristics or adjust current
product offers and develop new marketing
strategies.
CONCLUSION
CINTURS -RESEARCH CENTRE FOR TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY AND WELL-BEING
This study brings insights about who is the tourist, not
in an economical view,which is the usual one, but
from asocial and a psychological perspective while
aiming to promote the tourists’ wellbeing.
It is avery challenging endeavour, and ambitious
research but a much needed and very different
outlook in this field, that hopefully, will help tourism
thrive and survive.
“Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a
storyteller.
Ibn Battuta, The Travels of Ibn Battutah
soraiagarces@gmail.com | www.cinturs.pt
mpocinho@staff.uma.pt | www.cinturs.pt
snjesus@ualg.pt | www.cinturs.pt
THANK YOU!
... The symbiosis of local traditions with tourism has an educational and cultural purpose, to which can be added the physical exercise of active tourism in nature. The intention is thus to contribute to the improvement of the mental and spiritual state of the participants (Wolsko, Lindberg, & Reese, 2019), and, at the same time, to the preservation of local sociocultural activities and regional identity, with benefits for both groups, residents, and visitors (Perna, Custódio, & Oliveira, 2019;Pocinho, Garcês & Jesus, 2021). Tourists, especially seniors, increasingly want to experience genuine activities, inserted in their sociocultural context, which enable direct contact with local communities. ...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Rural traditions in the natural environment are crucial for the identity and sustainability of tourism destinations. This study aims to promote the symbiosis of local traditions of the senior population of Madeira with wellness and experiential tourism in nature. It is an exploratory qualitative research that makes comprehensive use of the literature about Madeiran levadas (irrigation channels), and traditions with the method of thematic content analysis. Furthermore, this paper includes proposals for the interconnection of tourist activities with the rurality of the senior population. It is particularly possible by means of levada walking, agricultural tasks in traditional terraces (poios), knowing about running water mills, and the use of wool for traditional Madeiran ear caps. The sharing of the senior population’s farming experiences with tourists serves to enhance and transform their quality of life, affirming their local identity and authenticity. Thus, it contributes to the conservation of ancient agricultural sustainable practices which are important for the future of the local population and tourist activities in Madeira. In conclusion, the preservation of agricultural and traditional activities by the senior population in concert with wellness and experiential tourism in nature opens new sustainable touristic opportunities with benefits for residents and visitors.
Conference Paper
Purpose – This study aims to explore gastronomy tourists' wellbeing in Madeira Island, Portugal, particularly those who acknowledged this activity as the experience they most enjoyed. Methodology – Data was retrieved in 2019, and it is part of the "Wellbeing Tourists Project" developed in Madeira Island. From a preliminary sample of 475 tourists, 52 considered gastronomy their most enjoyed experience, composing this subset of participants the sample for the current study. Data collection occurred in-person (before the pandemic) and online. Tourists filled the Tourism Wellbeing Scale, which evaluates tourism experiences through positive Psychology variables [wellbeing (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment), creativity, optimism, and spirituality]. Findings – Tourists from England/UK, Czech Republic and Portugal (mainland) considered gastronomy their top choice. Findings showed that a gastronomy tourist in Madeira is someone who first looks to have fun, acknowledges the experience as unique/original, and enjoys engaging with the local community. Logistic regression showed that the estimated odds ratio favoured an increase of nearly 53% for the Gastronomy experience every one unit increase of the Meaning variable. Contribution – Madeira has a unique cuisine with unique flavours, which can be an essential attraction factor for this destination, but it is considered a complementary product. This study highlights that gastronomy should be considered a potential to promote the Island tourism and that it can also be an essential factor to promote wellbeing and Madeira food heritage.
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