Perspective (graphical)

Pathology

Archaeology

Theology

Religious tourism

Psychotherapist

History

Aesthetics

Religious experience

Epistemology

Philosophy

Political science

Eudaimonia

Artificial intelligence

Tourism

Psychology

Narrative

Alternative medicine

Religious studies

Pilgrimage

Spiritual growth

Computer science

Linguistics

Autonomy

Spirituality

Personal development

Medicine

Social psychology

Tourism Recreation Research

This paper proposes that tourism research needs to explore the potentially lasting psychological benefits of tourism by implementing a eudaimonic perspective of well-being. Consequently, this study adopted a eudaimonic approach to tourist well-being by investigating the reported psychological well-being of pilgrims and the concepts involved in the pilgrimage experience via the exploration of 74 personal narratives. Pilgrims' self-transcendent peak experiences encompassed spiritual moments of revelation, healing and epiphany. These experiences led to spiritual growth that seems to have impacted participants' religious spirituality, also long after their pilgrimage, which can be perceived as a potential long-term effect of the pilgrimage experience. The self-transcendent peak experience of the pilgrims can be explained via enhanced autonomy, the experience of positive relationships, achieved personal growth, a sense of purpose in and of life, their character development and a state of self-acceptance.

Eudaimonic benefits of tourism: the pilgrimage experience