Boosters, decliners, or invariants: Preliminary results on the impact of travel on well-being

Abstract

Tourism and well-being are a growing area of research interest. While existing tourism studies have long suggested that vacation is a venue for improving tourists’ well-being, recent evidence offers an opposing view, indicating that vacations do not always have positive effects and may even increase stress and depression. Given that mental stress is common in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong residents perceive vacations as a temporary means to reduce stress and improve well-being, this study aims to answer two important research questions: Does vacation make tourists happier and improve their well-being? Do different travel characteristics and demographic variables result in varying levels of happiness and wellbeing improvement among tourists?

This study integrates concepts from positive psychology into tourism, specifically focusing on happiness and depression. According to the World Health Organization (2021), individuals who are satisfied with their current state typically feel happy, whereas those experiencing sadness, irritability, emptiness, or a loss of pleasure in activities are considered depressed. Most past tourism research has simply focused on one side of either happiness or depression at a single point in time rather than seeking to assess a change from state of depression through to state of happiness or vice versa. Therefore, a vast amount of tourists’ well-being and emotions are still unexplored, and depression and happiness are not examined together in a single study, which constraints the understanding and robustness of positive psychology in relation to tourism. Inspired by this, the current study considers it worthwhile to integrate these two different but related concepts into a single study to assess whether vacations can improve tourists’ well-being.

This study adapts a longitudinal study design which covers a time span of seven days before and after the vacation. Before the cycle of data collection starts, an invitation with an overview of the research and questions regarding the trip profile is sent to Hong Kong residents who have brought at least one outbound tourism product for the next six months via various online travel communities. With the prevalence of high stress levels, long working hours, and limited domestic resort options in Hong Kong, vacation has become a popular means of relaxation. Understanding whether vacations improve well-being is therefore highly valuable. Participants agreeing to join the study complete a pre-travel questionnaire assessing their emotions seven days before departure. The post-travel questionnaire is sent to participants seven days after the completion of vacation. Both questionnaires for measuring tourists’ emotions adopts the Depression-Happiness Scale (DHS) (Joseph & Lewis, 1998). The DHS is made up of 25 items, 12 on positive emotions and 13 on negative emotions, measured on a 4-point scale (0 = “never” to 3 = “often”). The scale allows researchers to overcome the drawbacks of many of the previous well-being scales which were constrained by simultaneously evaluating both emotional states along a single continuum and mitigating ceiling and floor effects. Additional sections include trip profile details, tourist satisfaction (Sharma & Nayak, 2019), behavioral intentions (Vada et al., 2022), and demographic information.

The quantitative data were entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Paired samples t-test is used to test whether there were any significant changes in tourists’ well-being comparing before and after the vacation. To examine differences if different travel characteristics and demographic variables result in varying levels of happiness and wellbeing improvement among tourists, an independent sample t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) are conducted.

Among the 32 samples, the pre-travel happiness-depression scores ranged from 25 to 70, with a mean of 48.50 (SD = 9.54). Post-travel scores ranged from 33 to 68, with a higher mean of 51.47 (SD = 8.85). Both surveys revealed that Hong Kong tourists generally experience a higher frequency of positive thoughts, feelings, and bodily experiences. Paired sample t-tests showed a significant increase in happiness-depression mean values post-travel compared to pre-travel (Mean difference = -2.97, t = -2.53, p < 0.01). Based on the results of pair-tests, respondents were categorized into three groups: “Boosters” (n = 19), representing individuals whose well-being improved after vacation, “Decliners” (n = 9), representing those whose well-being decreased, and “Invariants” (n = 4) representing those with no change in well-being between pre- and post-vacation states. Due to the limited sample size, no significant differences were found among the three groups in relation to their demographic variables and travel characteristics (e.g., trip duration, destinations, companions, vacation types, and previous travel experience). Further research is recommended to explore these relationships. This study provides several academic and managerial implications. Improving population mental health is a significant global priority. This research adds value to the tourism positive literature and understanding the current state of tourists’ well-being before and after vacations. It also provides empirical support clarifying the relationship between tourism and tourists’ psychological well-being and understand what travel and tourism offer. From a managerial perspective, the findings can guide mental health professionals and tourism practitioners in developing effective therapeutic interventions and travel recommendations. By collaborating, tourism practitioners and mental health experts can design travel packages that address specific psychological needs, such as stress relief, anxiety reduction, or emotional healing. Examples include nature retreats, wellness-focused itineraries, or cultural immersion programs that incorporate mindfulness practices, relaxation techniques, and therapeutic activities to enhance mental well-being. Additionally, the study underscores the potential of integrating tourism into mental health treatment plans, thereby promoting holistic approaches that incorporate leisure and travel as components of mental health care strategies. Pre-travel psychiatric support could involve assessments to identify risk factors and tailor travel plans to address tourists’ concerns such as stress and anxiety. Post-travel psychiatric support could then evaluate the trip's impact on mental health and refine future treatment plans. These practical measures ensure that tourism is effectively utilized as a therapeutic tool to enhance mental well-being.