Dual Approaches of Tourism’s Impact on Post-Trip Well-Being

Abstract

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.