A Three-Day Forest-Bathing Retreat Enhances Positive Affect, Vitality, Optimism, and Gratitude: An Option for Green-Care Tourism in Italy?
Author:
Guardini Beatrice1, Secco Laura1ORCID, Moè Angelica2ORCID, Pazzaglia Francesca2ORCID, De Mas Giovanna1, Vegetti Matteo3, Perrone Rocco3, Tilman Ann3, Renzi Manuela3, Rapisarda Stefania3
Affiliation:
1. Department of Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry) (TESAF), University of Padova, 35100 Padova (PD), Italy 2. Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, 35100 Padova (PD), Italy 3. IvyTour, 85100 Potenza (PZ), Italy
Abstract
Forest-bathing experiences can be seen as guided recreational activities led by non-clinical trained practitioners in the context of green, slow, and mindful tourism. Notwithstanding its growing practice, there is a lack of research on the psychological benefits which can help support nature-based tourism destination managers in unlocking the potential of this emerging tourism demand. This study will fill in this gap by testing the hypothesis that a three-day forest-bathing retreat, which fits with the most common type of holidays in Europe, will enhance positive affect, vitality, optimism, and gratitude as indicators of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Forty-four adults were involved in the residential program and filled-in self-report questionnaires before and after the experience to assess the well-being dimensions considered. Results showed a significant increase for all the assessed variables. We conclude that forest bathing as a mindful tourism practice carried out in natural settings dominated by forests can favor hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, thus becoming a potential source of attractiveness for nature-based touristic destinations, but more transdisciplinary efforts are needed to exploit this potential. In particular, research gaps still exist in Europe on cause–effect relations between forest features and psychological benefits, how forests could be managed to guarantee these benefits to the advantage of a tourism destination, and how tourism and forest management sectors could collaborate in this direction.
Funder
Department Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (Land, Environment, Agriculture, and Forestry)
Reference80 articles.
1. Effects of Forest Environment (Shinrin-Yoku/Forest Bathing) on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention—The Establishment of “Forest Medicine”;Li;Environ. Health Prev. Med.,2022 2. Significance of the Idea of Walking in the Woods as Recreation in Japan;Kagami;Glob. Environ. Res.,1998 3. Doimo, I., Masiero, M., and Gatto, P. (2021). Disentangling the Diversity of Forest Care Initiatives: A Novel Research Framework Applied to the Italian Context. Sustainability, 13. 4. Meneguzzo, F., Albanese, L., Antonelli, M., Baraldi, R., Becheri, F.R., Centritto, F., Donelli, D., Finelli, F., Firenzuoli, F., and Margheritini, G. (2021). Short-Term Effects of Forest Therapy on Mood States: A Pilot Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18. 5. Forest Bathing as a Mindful Tourism Practice;Farkic;Ann. Tour. Res. Empir. Insights,2021
|
|