{"title":"Integrating Environmental Anchoring and Interactive Technology Into Health Tourism: Enhancing Embodied Mindfulness Experiences","authors":"Bin Zhu, Lianping Ren, Hangjun Zhang, Hanqin Qiu","doi":"10.1002/jtr.70127","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n <p>This study explores how interactive technology can enhance mindfulness in health tourism through the HU device—a biofeedback tool that synchronizes vapor with users' breathing. Traditional mindfulness practices often face barriers of accessibility, engagement, and adaptability, especially in tourism contexts. To address this, a qualitative study with 25 participants examined the device's integration into a health retreat. Findings indicate that embodied engagement with vapor, a non-judgmental interaction mode, and seamless technological integration supported deeper focus, emotional resilience, and calmness. Portability further enabled continued use as a travel companion, extending mindfulness beyond retreat settings. Framed within the proposed model of Sensory Experience, Behavioral Reflection, Technological Integration, and Practical Accessibility, the study shows how digital tools can enrich embodied mindful experiences. Rather than distracting, mindful technologies can serve as valuable facilitators of well-being, positioning health tourism as a setting where sustained mindfulness engagement is both accessible and adaptable.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":51375,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Tourism Research","volume":"27 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Tourism Research","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jtr.70127","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study explores how interactive technology can enhance mindfulness in health tourism through the HU device—a biofeedback tool that synchronizes vapor with users' breathing. Traditional mindfulness practices often face barriers of accessibility, engagement, and adaptability, especially in tourism contexts. To address this, a qualitative study with 25 participants examined the device's integration into a health retreat. Findings indicate that embodied engagement with vapor, a non-judgmental interaction mode, and seamless technological integration supported deeper focus, emotional resilience, and calmness. Portability further enabled continued use as a travel companion, extending mindfulness beyond retreat settings. Framed within the proposed model of Sensory Experience, Behavioral Reflection, Technological Integration, and Practical Accessibility, the study shows how digital tools can enrich embodied mindful experiences. Rather than distracting, mindful technologies can serve as valuable facilitators of well-being, positioning health tourism as a setting where sustained mindfulness engagement is both accessible and adaptable.
期刊介绍:
International Journal of Tourism Research promotes and enhances research developments in the field of tourism. The journal provides an international platform for debate and dissemination of research findings whilst also facilitating the discussion of new research areas and techniques. IJTR continues to add a vibrant and exciting channel for those interested in tourism and hospitality research developments. The scope of the journal is international and welcomes research that makes original contributions to theories and methodologies. It continues to publish high quality research papers in any area of tourism, including empirical papers on tourism issues. The journal welcomes submissions based upon both primary research and reviews including papers in areas that may not directly be tourism based but concern a topic that is of interest to researchers in the field of tourism, such as economics, marketing, sociology and statistics. All papers are subject to strict double-blind (or triple-blind) peer review by the international research community.