What Promotes the Happiness of Vacationers? A Focus on Vacation Experiences for Japanese People During Winter Vacation

Several studies on tourism have examined the effects of vacation and travel on individuals' wellbeing. However, relatively little is known about the underlying psychological factors and mechanisms. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of a winter vacation on individuals' wellbeing. A total of 507 participants (255 men and 252 women) completed three questionnaires at three different time points. The questionnaires comprised psychological scales and items to seek demographic information so that the changes in their wellbeing could be assessed. The results revealed that people who traveled had higher subjective wellbeing than those who did not. Moreover, out of the four elements of the recovery experience, mastery was the only one influenced subsequent subjective wellbeing. The findings suggest that it is crucial to take vacations and to savor recovery experiences while off work. In particular, experiencing new and challenging events during a vacation was the most significant predictor of vacationers' subsequent wellbeing. Our results clarify what type of vacation is most effective for wellbeing. The results can help tourism practitioners manage their customers' experiences better during their vacations, and these efforts will arguably contribute not only to the wellbeing of vacationers but also to future company growth.