Author Identifier

Fangli Hu: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5188-3187

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Thesis - ECU Access Only

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

First Supervisor

Wei Wang

Second Supervisor

Jun Wen

Third Supervisor

Danni Zheng

Fourth Supervisor

Haifeng Hou

Abstract

Tourism and health are closely connected. Tourism could promote health through physical activity, social interaction, sensory stimulation, and therapeutic environments, yet it may also introduce risks such as physical strain, psychological stress, or exposure to infectious diseases. Despite this complex relationship, the intersection between tourism and health has received limited attention, particularly regarding the tourism engagement of populations with health conditions. Existing research rarely examines how such groups participate in tourism, including their behaviours (e.g., motivations, perceived constraints) and possible health outcomes. Among these populations, those affected by dementia constitute a highly relevant focus. Dementia is a progressive neurocognitive disorder affecting millions worldwide, impairing memory, cognition, and daily functioning, with limited pharmacological options and growing reliance on non-pharmacological interventions. However, despite their numbers and care needs, people living with dementia remain an important but largely overlooked tourist group, with their travel preferences, behaviours, and potential tourism-related benefits underexplored in research and practice.

This interdisciplinary thesis comprises eight interrelated studies conducted from a travel medicine perspective, spanning conceptual and theoretical development, methodological discussion, and empirical investigation. These studies (1) examine the broad links between tourism and health, including both benefits and risks; (2) conceptualise and theoretically frame travel therapy, and elucidate the role of tourism in promoting health and well-being; (3) explore the mechanisms through which tourism could support healthy ageing and dementia intervention; (4) investigate the travel behaviours of individuals with dementia, including their motivations and perceived constraints; (5) analyse the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, consisting of individuals with dementia, caregivers, dementia physicians, and tourism practitioners, on tourism’s potential as a non-pharmacological intervention.

Findings reveal that, even with physical or mental limitations, individuals with health conditions such as dementia often retain both the desire and capacity to travel and, with appropriate support, may derive enjoyment, cognitive stimulation, and broader health benefits. Their motivations are diverse, ranging from novelty seeking, relaxation, and family bonding to the pursuit of equality, personal competence, and symptom relief. Despite complex challenges of safety, accessibility, and service readiness, tourism has the potential to extend beyond its traditional leisure function and serve as a form of health-promoting engagement with wider public health implications.

By integrating insights from tourism, health sciences, marketing, psychology, and gerontology, this research advances understanding of the tourism-health nexus, enriches knowledge of tourism participation among populations with health conditions, establishes travel therapy as a novel interdisciplinary framework, and provides empirical evidence of its application for individuals with dementia. This work contributes to the discourse on the intersection of tourism and health, provides practical guidance for tourism and healthcare practice, informs policy development, and aligns with global development priorities aimed at promoting social equality and healthy ageing. The research presented in this thesis received widespread international recognition, including 848 media mentions from prominent outlets such as CNN, The Australian, The Washington Post, Forbes, Fox News, and CBS News, reaching approximately 2.7 billion people between August and November 2024. This recognition also earned a spot in Skyscanner’s 2025 Travel Trends Report.

Access Note

Access to this thesis is embargoed until 18th December 2030

DOI

10.25958/r0g1-rw11

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Available for download on Wednesday, December 18, 2030

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