Travel While Working Remotely: A Topological Data Analysis of Well-Being in Remote Work Trip Experiences

Abstract

The proliferation of novel work arrangements, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to the emergence of remote work trip experiences in which work is conducted within the context of leisure travel. Remote work trips challenge the dichotomous view of traditional work and leisure domains. Grounded in positive psychology, this exploratory research investigates remote work travel experiences as a new phenomenon under the leisure travel umbrella. Using a data analytics approach based on a topological analysis of 32,881 Instagram posts, the findings revealed 23 distinct elements of remote work trip experiences that potentially influence well-being. The results indicate that traveling may benefit well-being despite not taking any breaks from work. By investigating the emerging trend of remote work trips and by expanding the understanding of how integrated work-travel experiences can influence well-being, this study contributes to the body of literature on both travel and positive psychology alike.

Travelers’ Coping Strategies in the Backdrop of Revenge Tourism

“…Second, prior literature focused on coping strategies in limited specific contexts such as while engaging in dark tourism (Jordan & Prayag, 2022), enduring a crisis on a cruise ship (C.-D. , confronting the mismatch of tourism experiences with expectations (Hossain et al, 2023); developing wellbeing in the context of religious tourism (Lin & Hsieh, 2022), and dealing with the fear of travel (D. Zheng et al, 2021) and has not attempted to identify coping strategies in the general context of travel after a crisis. A couple of studies that looked at understanding coping strategies in the context of the recent pandemic focused on limited aspects of travel intention as a coping strategy (Irimiás & Zoltán Mitev, 2023) and travel as a coping strategy while engaging in remote work (Chevtaeva et al, 2023). Our study has addressed this significant gap in the extant literature by exploring coping strategies developed by travelers in the aftermath of the pandemic.…”

“…Following the severe pandemic crisis, lockdowns and the ensuing feeling of being captive drove people to travel immediately after the pandemic (Irimiás & Zoltán Mitev, 2023). During this period, coping occurred in the form of travel when people resorted to remote work (Chevtaeva et al, 2023). Similarly, problem-focused (confronting the problem) and emotion-focused (controlling or avoiding the problem) coping occurs when travelers engage in travel to dark tourism sites (Jordan & Prayag, 2022).…”

“…Zheng et al, 2021) and has not attempted to identify coping strategies in the general context of travel after a crisis. A couple of studies that looked at understanding coping strategies in the context of the recent pandemic focused on limited aspects of travel intention as a coping strategy (Irimiás & Zoltán Mitev, 2023) and travel as a coping strategy while engaging in remote work (Chevtaeva et al, 2023). Our study has addressed this significant gap in the extant literature by exploring coping strategies developed by travelers in the aftermath of the pandemic.…”

“…Moreover, limited prior literature exists on coping strategies in the context of tourism despite the fact that many stressful situations have been identified where travelers have developed different types of coping strategies. For example, coping strategies were developed by travelers while engaging in remote travel for work (Chevtaeva et al, 2023), engaging in dark tourism (Jordan & Prayag, 2022), encountering a mismatch between tourism expectations and experiences (Hossain et al, 2023); enduring crisis on a cruise ship (C.-D. , and developing wellbeing in the context of religious tourism (Lin & Hsieh, 2022). Coping strategies are also linked with anxiety of mortality (Lyu et al, 2023), fear of travel (D. Zheng et al, 2021), visiting a new, unfamiliar country (Wu, 2015) and age-related constraints during travel (Kazeminia et al, 2015).…”