Exploring the role of ethical experiences and psychological well-being in travel satisfaction: An animal welfare perspective in elephant-based tourism

Given growing concerns about animal welfare in tourism, this study examined the crucial role of tourists' ethical experiences and psychological well-being in travel satisfaction by comparing online reviews from two elephant-based tourism settings: a rescue center and general tour sites. Topic modeling and sentence sentiment analysis revealed more prevalent themes of ethical experiences and psychological well-being at the rescue center than at other sites. Path analysis confirmed a significant transition from ethical experiences to psychological well-being and satisfaction only at the rescue center, highlighting the significant mediator of psychological well-being in ethical tourism. This study offers an enhanced understanding of ethical tourism experiences from the animal welfare perspective, thereby expanding the literature on animal-based tourism. This study suggests an integrative text analysis to enhance research integrity. The findings can assist destination marketing organizations in developing policies and guidelines that promote ethical practices among tour operators, leading to a competitive advantage.