ABSTRACT
This article applies models from the field of positive psychology in conceptualising and appraising visitor or tourist satisfaction. In particular, visitor engagement is explored using personal narrative essays as a means of assessing satisfaction. Twenty university study-abroad students participated in the study, writing reflective essays about their year-long overseas experience. The results suggest that aspects of flow, and other concepts from positive psychology, were part of the students' satisfaction. Exploring engagement in this way has thus uncovered a fresh layer of satisfaction that could not have been detected by a traditional tourist satisfaction approach.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I thank Ms. Arinya Eller, Assistant Manager at the Academic Office of MODUL University Vienna, for proofreading the manuscript. I would also like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive criticism. Their feedback has improved this article.