The meaning of escapism for tourists’ well-being in nature
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: How can nature-based tourism represent well-being and how can escapism alter well-being experiences in nature. This study proposes that a new form of escapism is pertinent, giving room for meaning and well-being, based on meaningful tourism encounters. Escapes can be found in the wilderness or in adventure tourism experiences and can also include unplanned escapes from urban townscapes or even from tourism itself, representing positive escapes that enhance mental health and happiness. The extensive focus on escapism through out-of-the-ordinary experiences calls for research on more mundane forms of escape. This study is based on a quantitative survey. The findings indicate that escapism does not have to come from extraordinary experiences; ordinary experiences on holiday can also improve well-being by taking on new forms. The study finds that escapism is a motivation for experiences in nature and for the well-being of tourists. Tourists experience escapism in two main ways: through rest and calm, and through excitement and mastery of activities and where outer and inner escape unite, ‘flow escape’ emerge. The implications of this study are that escapism embodies something meaningful for tourists. A focus on the meaning of escapism in tourism could thus lead to more sustainable well-being.
Source: Tourism Recreation Research
Institution: UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4413181567