Well being experiences in nature An emerging form of tourism

Abstract

Tourism is a dynamic, constantly evolving activity that requires detecting consumer trends so that companies and destinations can adapt by offering new and improved competitive products and experiences. For the post-COVID-19 era, dominant projected trends suggest that consumers will be more attracted to authentic, environmentally responsible experiences in less touristy destinations and wide-open spaces. Natural areas and protected spaces rank among the clearest beneficiaries of such trends because they combine relaxation with environments conducive to social distancing as well as offering direct, positive impacts on human health and well-being. For all of those reasons, such spaces not only have the potential to offer new experiences closely related to well-being and the search for overall health but also face challenges to that end. Against that background, this chapter examines experiential tourism in relation to improved holistic well-being and provides examples of experiences in protected natural areas worldwide that offer physical, mental, social, environmental, spiritual, and/or emotional well-being.