Chapter 24: Conclusion

This chapter provides concluding comments on a cognitive paradigm and related concepts applied to tourism, as well as in studies of social and environmental sustainability. Adopting a new paradigm is difficult but worthwhile as it allows researchers to move on from a behaviourist worldview and open the black-box, that is, the brain. The main points of each of the previous chapters are provided. A number of areas for future research are discussed, including schema change, wellness and the mind-body problem, new methodologies, motivation and goals for travel and the importance of further research on emotion in tourism experiences. The use of cognitive psychology is vital for further progress into a theory of experience design.