A 'mindful' transformation: A study on how heritage sites can transform into 'mindful' tourist experiences

Abstract

Tourism is responsible for a lot negative external effects. Therefore the sector is looking for ways to counter these effects. One form of tourism which has gotten a lot of attention the last years is mindful tourism, which can be described as a way of travelling and getting to know other places and cultures in a way that is environmentally friendly and respectful to the local communities (Ling, Noor, Mustafa & Kiumarsi, 2019). As tourists after the pandemic are more likely to engage in more sustainable forms of tourism and are more aware of the negative externalities of the sector, more insights and tools on how destination managers and DMO's can create mindful tourism experiences are needed.

The aim of this thesis is to provide insights into the mindful behavioural patterns of tourists. These insights will contribute to a better understanding on how to implement successful sustainable tourism policy and therefore play a significant role in the crucial shift towards a more sustainable form of tourism. This study will take place in Järvsö, a rural-tourist destination in Sweden, with the ambitious goal of becoming a global example of sustainable tourism. A special focus will be on a heritage centre Stenegård, since mindfulness-driven tourism activities are especially important for heritage sites as they are more vulnerable to extensive tourism growth (Moscardo, 1996).