Author Identifier (ORCID)
Fangli Hu: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5188-3187
Abstract
Clinical evidence of tourism's health-related benefits for people with health conditions is notably scarce. Prescribing tourism, wherein medical professionals recommend engaging in tourism activities to enhance overall health and well-being, could offer unique insights into the tourism–health nexus. This paper adopted a conceptual approach, underpinned by a state-of-the-art literature review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA framework to identify knowledge gaps in the existing literature. This paper proposed prescribing tourism as a novel research agenda at the intersection of tourism and health, and further introduced it as a promising approach for people with health conditions, aiming to potentially minimise adverse effects and maximise positive outcomes. Grounded in positive psychology, the notion of ‘positive travel experiences’ was elaborated. Taking people with dementia as a focal case, we discussed the selection of appropriate destinations, activities, and transportation modes, illustrating how prescribing tourism could facilitate positive travel experiences.
Keywords
Dementia, health condition, interdisciplinary research, positive travel experience, prescribing tourism, state-of-the-art literature review
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
3-1-2026
Volume
28
Issue
2
Publication Title
International Journal of Tourism Research
Publisher
Wiley
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
Funders
China Scholarship Council - Edith Cowan University Joint PhD Scholarship (202109327004) / Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Macau University of Science and Technology (1417)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
Hu, F., Wen, J., & Filep, S. (2026). Prescribing tourism: Cultivating positive travel experiences for individuals with health conditions. International Journal of Tourism Research, 28(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70250