Title: The effect of adventure tourists' profile characteristics toward wellness dimensions

Authors: Melissa Jeanette Lötter; Lisa Charmaine Welthagen

Addresses: Department of Tourism Management, Tshwane University of Technology, Tshwane, South Africa ' Department of Tourism Management, Tshwane University of Technology, Tshwane, South Africa

Abstract: Wellness tourism's multidimensional nature lends to multifaceted travel experiences that incorporate a large and diverse set of activities. As many opportunities for different organisational prospects are created, the impact of adventure tourist profile characteristics on the respondents' physical, emotional, social, environmental, intellectual, occupational, and spiritual dimensions of wellness are investigated. The sample population included all residents and visitors of the Tshwane Metropolitan area that partake in adventure activities. Random sampling was used for the total sample frame of N = 213. This study employed an on-site survey based on a quantitative approach with a self-completing questionnaire as the research instrument. Descriptive statistics conducted in this study indicate how each dimension of wellness relates to adventure tourism activities in which the respondents participated. The results suggest that adventure tourism activities can be used as a tool for improving adventure tourists' lifestyles as it has an overall positive effect/impact on the respondents' wellness. Thus, by applying the dimensional model of wellness, tourism, specifically adventure tourism organisations, can develop successful wellness products and services by becoming aware of each wellness dimension's interconnectedness.

Keywords: adventure tourism; wellness; wellness dimensions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLTM.2022.122425

International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 2022 Vol.7 No.3, pp.168 - 179

Received: 21 Aug 2020
Accepted: 16 Feb 2021
Published online: 25 Apr 2022 *