Tourism and Mental Health: Foundations, Frameworks, and Futures

Abstract

Tourism contributes to mental health. We could: recognize, measure, value, and market those contributions; analyze components and design products to maximize mental health benefits; and use mental health benefits in tourism industry marketing and lobbying. If we measure benefits to health-research standards, then tourism could also gain commercial opportunities within the health sector. Currently, there are widely differing bodies of evidence within different tourism subsectors, reflecting historical research emphases. Music, museums, and shopping malls have been identified as therapeutic for some. Nature tourism therapies have been tested extensively, with a higher standard of evidence. Adventure tourism has been analyzed principally from a phenomenological perspective, indicating powerful psychological effects. Many mental health therapies require continuing behavioral change. Tourism research could contribute to these therapies, since it includes detailed data on the effects of program design and guiding, and individual personalities, interests, capabilities, motivations, experiences, emotions, and satisfaction.