Tourism and wellbeing: transforming people and places

ABSTRACT Travel is widely acknowledged as having transformative potential, facilitating elements of personal growth and enhanced well-being. Whilst much of the current literature focuses on small samples of tourists self-identifying as having been transformed by travel in a broad sense, often within a context of a journey, this study propositions a place-based focus on transformational tourism. In this sense, it considers how the management of specific experiences may instigate this notion of transformation, placing more importance on the tourism setting and provider. In line with the progression of the experience economy, it suggests the potential benefits of transformative experiences for the place, harnessing these moments of enhanced well-being and enlightenment to encourage a sense of care for the tourism setting. Focusing on the longevity of such experiences, it considers how well-being-enhancing experiences can be used for self-transformation and transformation of attitudes towards, and connection to, the environment, both in the direct tourism setting and in a wider context. This study provides a review of the literature as it relates to the relationship between well-being, sustainable tourism and transformational experiences, developing a conceptual framework to form the basis for further research on the intersection between transformative experiences, well-being, and sustainable tourism.