Main well-being factors in tourism context : an application to active sport tourism
The quest for well-being is one of the driving forces behind human behaviour, this quest being particularly observed in tourism, which is considered to be an activity that provides it. However, the causes of well-being are not yet fully understood. The aim of this article is to identify the main factors likely to contribute to the well-being experienced in a tourist environment by using the fields of positive psychology and consumer behaviour and, beyond, marketing. Firstly, the contributions of positive psychology to the analysis of well-being will be presented. Secondly, an integrating model of the well-being factors in tourism will be suggested. This model will bring together the analysis of these factors proposed by positive psychology and that of the concept of experiences carried out from the perspective of consumer behaviour. This model will be the basis for the presentation of the different factors likely to foster or hamper well-being in active sports tourism, the experiential potential of the latter being recognized. Thirdly, some managerial implications will be formulated. In conclusion, several contributions, limitations, and future research directions will be outlined.