4: Exploration of the Mindful Tourism Experience

The interest in the concept of experience as a motivator of tourist consumption has resulted in increased research on the factors that contribute to satisfying tourist experience subjects (Hemmington, 2007; Knutson, Beck, Kim, & Cha, 2009; Pizam & Ellis, 1999). It can be said that the creation of beneficial, pleasurable, and memorable experiences for consumers has become a cornerstone of the tourism industry (Pizam, 2010). Both for tourism academia and practice, it is critical to comprehend the aspects that contribute to tourist engagement and shape meaningful experiences at the destination. This topic has become more important with the rise of non-traditional tourism offerings that have moved the focus from simplistic hedonic and short-lived well-being experiences to more holistic and transformative experiences (Hemmington, 2007; Reisinger, 2013). Here, mindfulness adds another element of interest – meta-awareness. Because mindful tourists tend to prioritise self-perception and the experience itself, this can affect how tourists perceive both the tourist experience and the following sentiments of satisfaction or unhappiness. Thus, the underlying mechanisms of mindfulness become particularly relevant for understanding the effect of mindfulness on tourist experiences and subsequent evaluations (Chen et al., 2017a; Chen, Scott, & Benckendorff, 2017b; Kang & Gretzel, 2012). The underlying mechanisms of mindfulness include paying attention to the experience, living in the present, and cultivation of non-judgemental awareness (Fig. 12).