Slow tourism experience: impact on emotions, engagement and well-being
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
ISSN: 2514-9792
Article publication date: 28 October 2024
Abstract
Purpose
As the overflow of information accelerates the pace of life, people search for opportunities to escape from their fast-paced lifestyle by engaging in slower consumption. This research empirically tested the role of slow tourism experience (STE) in improving one’s well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
In Study 1, 205 qualified tourists participated. Exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis with Promax rotation in SPSS v.26 was deployed to examine scale factors. Study 2 consisted of 460 tourists to test the conceptual model using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Multi-group analysis identified statistically significant differences between path coefficients in the structural models for males and females.
Findings
Results revealed a three-dimensional STE measure: deceleration, immersion and self-reflection. STE significantly impacted positive emotions and mediated tourist engagement and subjective well-being. Gender multi-group analysis indicated STE had a positive direct impact on SWB for male tourists; however, STE positively affected SWB through tourist destination engagement for female tourists.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited to tourists who had stayed at a destination. Future research may consider the different modes or mindsets that tourists use in designing their itinerary, length of stay, type of transportation, level of investment in the environment and culture.
Practical implications
Practitioners can distinguish tourism activities based on gender, focusing on engaging female tourists and triggering emotions for male tourists.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to operationalize and examine STE, extending the broad-and-build theory’s relevance in slow tourism research by revealing the effects of STE on tourists’ SWB.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This research received financial support from the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Citation
Lee, S., Busser, J.A., Kim, M. and Shulga, L.V. (2024), "Slow tourism experience: impact on emotions, engagement and well-being", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-02-2024-0137
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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