Research Highlights

Tourism and well-being have become increasingly important research areas, as vacations are often viewed as a way to relieve stress, restore psychological balance, and enhance quality of life. Yet travel does not always lead to positive psychological outcomes. In Hong Kong, where many residents experience high stress and long working hours, understanding whether vacations genuinely improve well-being is both socially and practically significant.

This study examines how vacations affect tourists’ happiness and psychological well-being, and whether these outcomes vary across travel characteristics and demographic groups. Drawing on positive psychology, the research integrates happiness and depression within a single analytical framework, addressing a gap in previous studies that have often examined these emotional states separately. Using a longitudinal design, the study tracks changes in Hong Kong residents’ emotional well-being seven days before and after their vacations through validated measurement tools.

By providing empirical evidence on tourists’ pre- and post-vacation well-being, the study deepens understanding of tourism’s psychological impacts. The project was recognised with the Outstanding Paper Award: Third Place at the Global Hospitality and Tourism Research Summit, held in Fukuoka from 15 to 18 May 2025, further highlighting its scholarly merit and practical relevance. Its findings can inform tourism practitioners, mental health professionals, and policymakers in developing more targeted travel recommendations and well-being interventions.