Positive psychology & tourism: a systematic literature review

Authors

  • Soraia Garcês University of Madeira - Centro de Investigação em Estudos Regionais e Locais (UMa-CIERL) http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2970-9078
  • Margarida Pocinho University of Madeira - Centro de Investigação em Estudos Regionais e Locais (UMa-CIERL)
  • Saul Neves Jesus University of Algarve
  • Michael Stephen Rieber University of Algarve

Keywords:

Positive Psychology, Tourism, Wellbeing, Nature, Innovation

Abstract

This study is an overview of the applications of Positive Psychology in tourism. Tourism seeks to increase the wellbeing of people, and wellbeing is a crucial variable in Positive Psychology which in turn aims to understand and promote people’s potential. This systematic literature review used as search terms ‘Positive Psychology’, ‘wellbeing’, ‘happiness’, ‘tourism’, ‘visitor’ and ‘travel’, terms which were applied through the Online Knowledge Library. The inclusion/exclusion criteria led to a sample of 49 references which were then individually analyzed. Results showed a recent increase in studies focused on the relationship between the variables, Europe being in the lead. Overall, policies are important for tourism development; tourism promotes wellbeing for residents and tourists; entrepreneurs have an innovative opportunity in wellbeing; and nature is linked to wellbeing. Implications and suggestions for future studies are presented.

References

Bosangit, C., Hibbert, S., & McCabe, S. (2015). “If I was going to die I should at least be having fun”: Travel blogs, meaning and tourist experience. Annals of Tourism Research, 55, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2015.08.001

Boukas, N., & Ziakas, V. (2016). Research paper: Tourism policy and residents' well-being in Cyprus: Opportunities and challenges for developing an inside-out destination management approach. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 5(1), 44-54. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.12.004

Bramwell, B. (2015). Theoretical activity in sustainable tourism research. Annals of Tourism Research, 54, 204-218. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2015.07.005

Burkholder, J. D., Joines, R., Cunningham-Hill, M., & Xu, B. (2010). Health and well-being factors associated with international business travel. Journal of Travel Medicine, 17(5), 329-333. doi:10.1111/j.1708-8305.2010.00441.x

Buzinde, C. N., Kalavar, J. M., & Melubo, K. (2014). Tourism and community well-being: The case of the Maasai in Tanzania. Annals of Tourism Research, 44, 20-35. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2013.08.010

Cini, F., Kruger, S., & Ellis, S. (2013). A Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations on Subjective Well-Being: The Experience of Overnight Visitors to a National Park. Applied Research Quality Life, 8(1), 45-61. doi:10.1007/s11482-012-9173-y

Coghlan, A. (2015). Tourism and health: using positive psychology principles to maximise participants’ wellbeing outcomes – a design concept for charity challenge tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(3), 383-400. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2014.986489

Coghlan, A. (2015). Tourism and health: using positive psychology principles to maximise participants’ wellbeing outcomes – a design concept for charity challenge tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(3), 382-400. doi:10.1080/09669582.2014.986489

de Bloom, J., Nawijn, J., Geurts, S., Kinnunen, U., & Korpela, K. (2017). Holiday travel, staycations, and subjective well-being. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25(4), 573- 588. doi:10.1080/09669582.2016.1229323

Department of Economic and Social Affairs – Statistics Division (2010). International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 2008. New York: United Nations Publication.

European Travel Commission (2016). Lifestyle trends & Tourism: How changing consumer behavior impacts travel to Europe. Brussels: European Travel Commission.

Filep, S. (2014a). Consider Prescribing Tourism. Journal of Travel Medicine, 21(3), 150-152. doi: 10.1111/jtm.12104

Filep, S. (2014b). Moving Beyond Subjective Well-Being: A Tourism Critique. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 38(2), 266-274. doi:10.1177/1096348012436609

Filep, S. (2016). Tourism and positive psychology critique: Too emotional? Annals of Tourism Research. Advanced online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2016.04.004

Filep, S. (2008, June) Linking tourist satisfaction to happiness and quality of life. Paper presented at the 8th BEST EN think tank on “Sustaining quality of life through tourism”, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey.

Filep, S., & Deery, M. (2010).Towards a Picture of Tourists’ Happiness. Tourism Analysis, 5, 399-410. doi: 10.3727/108354210X12864727453061

Filep, S., & Pearce, P. (2013). A blueprint for tourist experience and fulfilment research. In P. Pearce & S. Filep (eds.), Tourist experience and fulfilment: insights from positive psychology (pp. 223-232). New York, NY: Routledge.

Filep, S., & Pearce, P. (2014). Tourist Experience and Fulfilment: Insights from positive psychology. London: Routledge.

Fulmer, R. (2015). A History of Happiness: The roots of Positive Psychology, Insight, and Clinical Applications from 2005 to 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2017 from http://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/vistas/article_45a15c21f16116603abcacff0000bee5e7.pdf?sfvrsn=6

Gholipour, H. F., Tajaddini, R., & Nguyen, J. (2016). Happiness and inbound tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 57, 251-253. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2015.12.003

Hartwell, H., Willis, C., Page, S., Ladkin, A., Fyall, A., & Hemingway, A. (2016). Progress in tourism and destination wellbeing research. Current Issues in Tourism. Advanced online publication. doi:10.1080/13683500.2016.1223609

Hjalager, A. M. (2011). The Invention of a Danish Well-being Tourism Region: Strategy, Substance, Structure, and Symbolic Action. Tourism Planning & Development, 8(1), 51-67. doi: 10.1080/21568316.2011.554044

Hjalager, A. M., Tervo-Kankare, K., & Tuohino, A. (2016). Tourism value chains revisited and applied to rural well-being tourism. Tourism Planning & Development, 13(4), 379-395. doi:10.1080/21568316.2015.1133449

Hjalager, A., M., & Flagestad, A. (2012). Innovations in well-being tourism in the Nordic countries. Current Issues in Tourism, 15(8), 725-740. doi: 10.1080/13683500.2011.629720

Holm, M. R., Lugosi, P., Croes, R. R., & Torres, E. N. (2017). Progress in Tourism Management: Risk-tourism, risk-taking and subjective well-being: A review and synthesis. Tourism Management, 63, 115-122. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2017.06.004

Jackson, S. (2017). Why Nordic Countries Top the Happiness League. Retrieved June 27, 2017 from https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/why-nordic-countries-top-the-happiness-league

Jenkins, L. D., & Romanos, M. (2014). The art of tourism-driven development: economic and artistic well-being of artists in three Balinese communities. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 12(4), 293-306. doi:10.1080/14766825.2014.934377

Kay Smith, M., & Diekmann, A. (2017). Tourism and wellbeing. Annals of Tourism Research, 66, 1-13. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2017.05.006

Kim, H. C., Chua, B. L., Boo, H. C., Lee, S., & Han, H. (2016). Understanding Airline Travelers’ Perceptions of Well-Being: The Role of Cognition, Emotion, and Sensory Experiences in Airline Lounges. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 33(9), 1213-1234. doi:10.1080/10548408.2015.1094003

Kim, H., Lee, S., Uysal, M., Kim, J., & Ahn, K. (2015). Nature-Based Tourism: Motivation and Subjective Well-Being. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 32, 1-21. doi:10.1080/10548408.2014.997958

Kirillova, K., Lehto, X., & Cai, L. (2016). Existential Authenticity and Anxiety as Outcomes: The Tourist in the Experience Economy. International Journal of Tourism Research, 19 (1), 13-26. doi: 10.1002/jtr.2080

Konu, H. (2010). Identifying potential wellbeing tourism segments in Finland, Tourism Review, 65 (2), 41-51. doi: 10.1108/16605371011061615

Krishnamoorthy, S., & Ramachandran, T. (2016). Wellness travel and happiness: An empirical study into the outcome of wellness activities on tourists' subjective wellbeing. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 41(2), 183-187.

Lee, D. J., Kruger, S., Whang, M. J., Uysal, M., & Sirgy, M. J. (2014). Validating a Customer Well-Being Index Related to Natural Wildlife Tourism. Tourism Management, 45, 171-180. doi: S0261517714000752

Kruger, S., Saayman, M., & Ellis, S. (2014).The influence of Travel Motives on Visitor Happiness Attending a Wedding Expo. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 31(5), 649-665. doi: 10.1080/10548408.2014.883955

Laing, J. H., & Frost, W. (2017). Journeys of well-being: Women's travel narratives of transformation and self-discovery in Italy. Tourism Management, 62, 110-119. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2017.04.004

Li, T. E., & Chan, E. T. H. (2017). Diaspora tourism and well-being: A eudaimonic view. Annals of Tourism Research, 63, 205-206. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2017.01.005

Litlle, J. (2012). Transformational Tourism, Nature and Wellbeing: New Perspectives on Fitness and the Body. Sociologia Ruralis, 52 (3), 257-271. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9523.2012.00566.x

Liu K. (2013). Happiness and Tourism. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4 (15), 67-70.

Mäkelä, L., & Kinnunen, U. (2016). International business travelers’ psychological well-being: the role of supportive HR practices. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. Advanced online publication. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1194872

McCabe, S., & Johnson, S. (2013). The happiness factor in tourism: subjective well-being and social tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 41, 42-65. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2012.12.001

McCabe, S., & Johnson, S. (2013). The Happiness Factor in Tourism: Subjective Well-being and Social Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 41, 42-65. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2012.12.001

Mnguni, E. M., & Giampiccoli, A. (2015). Indigenous food and tourism for community well-being: A possible contributing way forward. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(3), 24-34.

doi:10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s2p24

Morgan, N., Pritchard, A., & Sedgley, D. (2015). Social tourism and well-being in later life. Annals of Tourism Research, 52, 1-15. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2015.02.015

Moscardo, G. (2014). Tourism and Community Leadership in Rural Regions: Linking Mobility, Entrepreneurship, Tourism Development and Community Well-Being. Tourism Planning & Development, 11(3), 354-370. doi:10.1080/21568316.2014.890129

Moscardo, G., Konovalov, E., Murphy, L., & McGehee, N. (2013). Mobilities, community well-being and sustainable tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21(4), 532-556. doi:10.1080/09669582.2013.785556

Naidoo, P., & Sharpley, R. (2016). Research Paper: Local perceptions of the relative contributions of enclave tourism and agritourism to community well-being: The case of Mauritius. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 5(1), 16-25. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.11.002

Nawijn, J. (2016). Positive psychology in tourism: A critique. Annals of Tourism Research, 56, 128-163. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2015.11.004

Nawijn, J., & Mitas, O. (2012). Resident Attitudes to Tourism and Their Effect on Subjective Well-Being: The Case of Palma de Mallorca. Journal of Travel Research, 51(5), 531-541. doi:10.1177/0047287511426482

Nawijn, J., & Peeters, P. (2010). Travelling ’green’: is tourists’ happiness at stake? Current Issues in Tourism, 13 (4), 381-392. doi: 10.1080/13683500903215016

Park, K., Lee, J., & Lee, T. J. (2017). Residents’ attitudes toward future tourism development in terms of community well-being and attachment. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 22(2), 160-172. doi:10.1080/10941665.2016.1208669

Pearce, P.L. and Packer, J. (2013). Minds on the move: New links from psychology to tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 40, 386-411. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2012.10.002

Pesonen, J., & Komppula, R. (2010). Rural Wellbeing Tourism: Motivations and Expectations. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 17, 150–157. doi: 10.1375/jhtm.17.1.150

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A hand¬book and classification. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Pratt, S., McCabe, S., & Movono, A. (2016). Gross happiness of a 'tourism' village in Fiji. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 5(1), 26-35. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.11.001

PRISMA (2009). PRISMA flow diagram. Retrieved June 7, 2017 from http://www.prisma-statement.org/Default.aspx

Pyke, S., Hartwell, H., Blake, A., & Hemingway, A. (2016). Exploring well-being as a tourism product resource. Tourism Management, 55, 94-105. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2016.02.004

Pyke, S., Hartwell, H., Blake, A., & Hemingway, A. (2016). Exploring well-being as a tourism product resource. Tourism Management, 55, 94-105. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2016.02.004

Ram, Y., Nawijn, J., & Peeters, P. M. (2013). Happiness and limits to sustainable tourism mobility: a new conceptual model. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21(7), 1017-1035. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2013.826233

Rátz, T., & Michalkó, G. (2011). The contribution of tourism to well-being and welfare: the case of Hungary. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 14 (3/4), 332-346. doi: 10.1504/IJSD.2011.041968

Rivera, M., Croes, R., & Lee, S. H. (2016). Research Paper: Tourism development and happiness: A residents’ perspective. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 5(1), 5-15. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.04.002

Scorsolini-Comin, F., & Santos, M. (2010). Psicologia Positiva e os Instrumentos de Avaliação no Contexto Brasileiro. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 23(3), 440-448). doi: 10.1590/S0102-79722010000300004

Scorsolini-Comin, F., Fontaine, A., Koller, S., & Santos, M. (2013). From Authentic Happiness to Well-Being: The Flourishing of Positive Psychology. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 26(4), 663-670. doi: 10.1590/S0102-79722013000400006

Seligman, M. (2010). Flourish: Positive Psychology and Positive Interventions. Retrieved from http://tannerlectures.utah.edu/_documents/a-to-z/s/Seligman_10.pdf

Seligman, M. (2013). Building the State of Wellbeing: A Strategy for South Australia. Adelaide Thinker in Residence 2012-2013. Adelaide, SA Department of the Premier and Cabinea.

Seligman, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive Psychology: An Introduction. American Psychologist, 55 (1), 5-14. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5

Seligman, M., Parks, A., & Steen, T. (2004). A balanced psychology and a full life. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society London B., 359, 1379-1381. doi:10.1098/rstb.2004.1513

Seligman, M., Steen, T., Parks, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology in progress. Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60, 410-421. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410

Teschers, C. (2015) The Art of Living and Positive Psychology in Dialogue. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 47 (9), 970-981. doi:10.1080/00131857.2015.1044839

Tokarchuk, O., Maurer, O., & Gabriele, R. (2017). Development of city tourism and well-being of urban residents: A case of German Magic Cities. Tourism Economics, 23(2), 343-359. doi:10.1177/1354816616656272

Tuohino, A., & Honkanen, A. (2015). On the way to sustainable (well-being) tourism destination? The case of Savonlinna town in Finland. Tourism Analysis, 20(4), 355-367. doi:10.3727/108354215X14400815080325

Uysal, M., Sirgy, M. J., Woo, E., & Kim, H. (2016). Progress in Tourism Management: Quality of life (QOL) and well-being research in tourism. Tourism Management, 53, 244-261. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2015.07.013

Uysal, M., Siry, M., Woo, E., & Kin, H. (2015). Quality of life (QOL) and well-being research in tourism. Tourism Management, 53, 244-261. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.07.013

Vogt, C., Jordan, E., Grewe, N., & Kruger, L. (2016). Collaborative tourism planning and subjective well-being in a small island destination. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 5(1), 36-43. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.11.008

Volo, S. (2016). Eudaimonic well-being of islanders: Does tourism contribute? The case of the Aeolian Archipelago. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management. Advanced online publication. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.08.002

Willis, C. (2015). The contribution of cultural ecosystem services to understanding the tourism–nature–wellbeing nexus. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 10, 38-43. doi:10.1016/j.jort.2015.06.002

Wu, H., Ai, C., & Cheng, C. (2017). A Study of Experiential Quality, Equity, Happiness, Rural Image, Experiential Satisfaction, and Behavioral Intentions for the Rural Tourism Industry in China. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration. Advanced online publication. doi:10.1080/15256480.2017.1289138

Zhang, T. (2013). The Build of Tourism well-being Index System. Business and Management Research, 2 (4), 110-115. doi: /10.5430/bmr.v2n4p110

Downloads

Published

31.07.2018

Issue

Section

Tourism/Hospitality: Research Papers

How to Cite

Positive psychology & tourism: a systematic literature review. (2018). Tourism & Management Studies, 14(3), 41-51. https://www.tmstudies.net/index.php/ectms/article/view/1048

Most read articles by the same author(s)