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Mindfulness as a Tool for Managing Visitors to Tourism DestinationsWhitefish, Montana.
Recreation, Travel and Tourism Institute at Clemson University, Clemson, SC. The primary objective of this study was to develop a further understanding of the construct of mindfulness and its application in managing visitors to natural, cultural, or historically based tourism destinations. Mindfulness represents a state of mind expressed by actively processing available information (e.g., brochures) within the surrounding environment, while mindlessness is considered a type of disengagement from information in ones surroundings. A 7-item Likert-type-scaled mindfulness measure was modified and administered to visitors at four southeastern coastal parks in April/May 1998. Three groups, "not very mindful, " "mindful," and "very mindful," were identified. Significant differences (p < .05) were found among the three groups concerning benefits sought, preference for services, and participation in nature-oriented activities, with the very mindful group standing apart from the other two. Application of mindfulness principles may provide a framework for tourism destinations in meeting visitor needs while also aiding resource management efforts.
Key Words: mindfulness resource management benefits sought nature-based tourism sustainability
Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 42, No. 4,
381-389 (2004) |
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