Spiritual tourism for psychotherapeutic healing post COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The study explored people’s life experiences, mental health, and well-being during the lockdown phase of the coronavirus pandemic. It discusses people’s inclination and motivation for travel post-COVID-19. Narrative inquiry was used as a qualitative research design. Thematic analysis and sentimental analysis were applied to assess study participants’ life state, emotions, and travel choices. Respondents described their lived experiences around seven major themes. Nature-based travel for spiritual elevation, transformation, and healing emerged as the most sought out choice of travel post-COVID-19. The study provides a foundation for policy formulation and will facilitate understanding people’s perceptions and expectations from travelling post-COVID-19..

KEYWORDS:

• Spiritual tourism
• transformational tourism
• psychotherapeutic healing
• COVID-19
• mental health
• well-being
• nature-based tourism
• non-religious spirituality
• narrative inquiry
• sentiment analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).