Positive psychology and tourism: a systematic literature review

Abstract

This study aims to outline the relationship between Positive Psychology and tourism through a systematic literature review. 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 research 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. Keywords:Positive psychology, tourism, wellbeing, nature, innovation. ResumoEste estudo objetiva desenvolver uma visão geral sobre a aplicação da Psicologia Positiva no Turismo. O Turismo procura contribuir para aumentar o bem-estar das pessoas e o bem-estar é uma variável fundamental da Psicologia Positiva que procura compreender e promover o potencial dos indivíduos. Utilizou-se como termos de pesquisa as palavras 'Psicologia Positiva', 'bem-estar', 'felicidade', 'turismo', 'visitante' e 'viagem'. A pesquisa foi realizada por meio da Biblioteca do Conhecimento Online. A aplicação de critérios de inclusão/exclusão levou a uma amostra final de 49 referências, analisadas individualmente. Os resultados mostram um interesse recente no estudo da relação em análise, sendo a Europa líder. Globalmente, a política é importante para o desenvolvimento do turismo; o turismo promove o bem-estar dos residentes e turistas; os empresários têm no bem-estar uma oportunidade de inovação; e a natureza relaciona-se com o bem-estar. Implicações e sugestões de estudos futuros são apresentadas.Palavras-chave: Psicologia positiva, turismo, bem-estar, natureza, inovação.

The influence of neophobia and enduring food involvement on travelers' perceptions of wellbeing—Evidence from international visitors to Iran

“…Growing attention has been devoted to the psychological impacts of tourism experiences on travelers' well‐being and quality of life (Dolnicar, Yanamandram, & Cliff, 2012; Filep, 2012; Uysal, Sirgy, Woo, & Kim, 2016). A systematic review of previous literature provides substantial empirical evidence to support the positive impact of tourism activities on tourists' perceptions of well‐being (Chen & Petrick, 2013; Garcês, Pocinho, Jesus, & Rieber, 2018). Well‐being is conceptualized as a multidimensional domain of quality of life, often associated with various psychological, material, and physical dimensions (Dolnicar et al, 2012).…”

“…They found PERMA as a valuable tool for gaining an in‐depth understanding of tourists' perceptions of well‐being. In a recent review of positive psychology literature in tourism, Garcês et al (2018) found that the individual well‐being effects resulting from tourism experiences closely correspond with the multiple dimensions of PERMA. Dillette, Douglas, and Martin (2018) used PERMA to capture tourists' sense of well‐being associated with wellness tourism experiences.…”

Atas do X Simpósio Nacional de Investigação em Psicologia, Universidade da Madeira, 2019

“…Positive Psychology has a broad scope and a multidisciplinary view that allies' researches from multiple fields (Titus, 2017), hence its endeavours can clearly extend to tourism settings. In a systematic literature review, linking Positive Psychology and Tourism (Garcês, Pocinho, Jesus, & Rieber, 2018), results showed that tourism is seen as a way to promote wellbeing for host communities and tourists. Also, in the same study, it was found that wellbeing can be understood as an opportunity for businesses innovation and that it is deeply related to nature.…”

Müslümanların Seyahat Motivasyonları: Pozitif Psikoloji Perspektifinden Bir Değerlendirme

“…de (2017) evdeki boş zaman aktivitelerine kıyasla seyahat sırasında insanların öznel iyi oluşunun daha yüksek, ruminatif düşüncenin daha az olduğunu ölçümlemiştir. Garcês vd. (2018) sosyal bilimler alanındaki çeşitli veri tabanlarında pozitif psikoloji, iyi oluş, mutluluk, turizm, ziyaretçi, seyahat kavramlarını taratarak 2007 ve 2017 yılları arasında pozitif psikoloji ve turizmi birlike ele alan literarürü taramış ve ulaştıkları 49 makaleye meta-analiz uygulamışlardır.…”

“…Araştırmacılar yeni bilgi edinme arzusunda olan ve yeni deneyimler arayan bir gezgin dalgasının büyüdüğüne işaret etmektedir. Garcês vd. (2018) günümüzde bireysel gelişim ve kendini gerçekleştirmeye odaklanan yeni bir "deneyim ekonomisi" fikrinin yükselişine şahitlik edildiğini belirtmektedir.…”