Inducing wellbeing through staycation programs in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis

• Published in: Tourism management perspectives 2021-10, Vol.40, p.100907-100907, Article 100907
• Main Authors: Lin, Zhiwei (CJ), Wong, IpKin Anthony, Kou, IokTeng Esther, Zhen, Xiner (Christine)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Psychological capital; Restoration; Staycation; Wellbeing
• ISSN: 2211-9736; 2211-9744
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tmp.2021.100907

The COVID-19 pandemic aftermath has aggravated its traumatic effect to engender a mental health crisis. With increasingly worsened psychological wellbeing, it is the responsibility of tourism scholars and operators alike to explore how contemporary tourism offerings can enable individuals to rebuild hope and optimism through relishing tourism's restorative appeals amid rigid border lockdowns. However, it remains unclear whether tourists are able to restore themselves from staycation programs, since tourists have a tendency to favor a novel space, as opposed to a usual travel environment. To address this question, we relied upon a government-funded staycation campaign using a survey to assess a transformative process leading from travel motivation and restoration to fortifying psychological capital and wellbeing. Drawing on theories pertaining to attention restoration, psychological capital, and involvement, our findings unravel a travel transformative mechanism of staycation programs that build a linkage between travel motivation and favorable psychological outcomes amid adverse circumstances. •Psychological distress has emerged as a major concern amid the current pandemic.•Staycation programs are able to promote tourist psychological wellbeing.•Staycation is a needed antidote to supply psychological restorative resources.•Involved tourists relish the en route experience for psychological restoration.