A mindful shift: an opportunity for mindfulness-driven tourism in a post-pandemic world

Abstract

Many see the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point for tourism, a chance to reflect on the pressing environmental and socio-economic concerns of the industry, and an opportunity to pinpoint a more desirable direction. However, for tourism to revive as a less impactful and more meaningful industry, more mindful consumers are needed to take factual benefits from the gravity of the current situation. Mindfulness as a practice of bringing a certain quality of attention to moment-by-moment experiences has become an important asset for individuals to cope with the problems of modern life. It is even seen as a significant driver of lifestyle change in Western societies, resulting in an increasing number of more conscious consumers and mindfulness-driven products and services. The COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call and opportunity for the tourism industry to embrace the mindfulness movement, trusting in its capacity to reflect on the current problems and to pave a new way forward towards more compassionate and meaningful tourism for both hosts and guests.

Reviving tourism industry post-COVID-19: A resilience-based framework

“…Many reports show a surge in the public's trust in technology, their readiness to connect, and their willingness to change their attitudes toward technology. People have now started ignoring privacy issues to get a more significant technology benefit ( Stankov et al, 2020 ). Gretzel et al (2020) has presented the “six transformative e-tourism research pillars” for bringing in changes in e-tourism by proactively using IT resources for short-term and long-term purposes.…”

COVID-19 and African tourism research agendas

“…Reflecting on the need to reconsider global mobility Renaud (2020) proposes alternative tourism development pathways which are aligned to the principles of deglobalisation and degrowth of the industry. For tourism transformation to occur Benjamin et al (2020) call for an actionable commitment to equity, Gretzel et al (2020) for transformative e-Tourism research, Stankov et al (2020) for more 'mindful' consumers, and Carr (2020b) for the incorporation of diverse cultural values, including from indigenous peoples, in order to ensure more equitable tourism futures. Everingham & Chassagne (2020) advocate a shift away from capitalist growth models for tourism and instead redirecting priorities away from simply economic growth and instead towards enhanced environmental and social well-being.…”

Travel for mindfulness through Zen retreat experience: A case study at Donghua Zen Temple

“… Hong and Handal (2020) are noted for their expertise in psychiatry and have recently recognized the role of religion on forming psychological resilience and health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Stankov, Filimonau, and Vujičić (2020) have garnered attention for examining how mindfulness-driven tourism may improve tourist wellness and sustainability after the COVID-19 pandemic eventually subsides. This study serves as an initial step in that same direction by encouraging future research investigations into the benefits of mindfulness and Zen in tourism.…”