Abstract
For over a decade, tourism and leisure scholars have investigated the link between the tourist experience and psychological well-being (PWB). Yet, these investigations have mainly been conducted in holiday contexts, away and detached from everyday reality, and where wellness enhancement was not the focus of the travel. Accordingly, there are gaps in the literature regarding understanding PWB in virtual forms of travel, where tourists do not get away from their homes, and understanding PWB as an outcome of consuming wellness services. This thesis sought to address these theoretical gaps by investigating how virtual wellness retreats (VWRs) facilitate PWB. As this is an under-explored area, this thesis adopted an exploratory qualitative approach to this enquiry. The overall goal of this research was to advance the literature by proposing a model of how consuming wellness services in a digitally mediated context can foster PWB.
This research explored both supply and demand perspectives of VWR programmes to develop a multifaceted account of the experiences and perceptions of these programmes and PWB outcomes. Purposive sampling and snowballing were used to recruit research participants with experience in facilitating and participating in VWRs. Accordingly, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 VWR providers and 22 VWR participants. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed how key elements of preparation for, and engagement in, VWR programmes benefitted participants’ PWB both during these courses and afterwards. Research participants also discussed the key facilitators of PWB while retreating online and the challenges of undertaking these programmes at home, which could hinder their PWB. According to the perspectives of VWR providers and participants, the primary determinants of PWB included cultivating (healthy) habits, gaining a sense of clarity on the self and life, empowerment, attunement, joyfulness, self-compassion, connectedness, enhanced meaning in life, and environmental appreciation. Overall, this study aimed to advance the wellness tourism and psychological well-being literature by proposing a unique model of PWB enhancement that emerged from the context of at-home wellness consumption. This model lays a foundational proposal in the literature that can be used to further investigate and understand links between key facilitators, inhibitors, and PWB outcomes in the understudied area of virtual wellness retreats. Implications for theory, practice, complementary domains (e.g., health sector) and future research are also discussed.