Phenomenology of Leisure Travel following Death of a Loved One

Date
2023-12-01
Authors
Ramanayake, Uditha
McIntosh, Alison Jane
Cockburn-Wootten, Cheryl
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Abstract

This paper advances knowledge around the intersection of death, loss, and leisure travel. Our phenomenological study revealed the lived experiences of seven senior travelers who had traveled internationally following the death of a loved one(s). We employed the ‘MeBox’ method to help uncover new layers of meaning that are not always easy to put into words. The findings of our study provide new insights into notions of leisure by identifying overseas leisure travel within a liminal space in which feelings of loss and acceptance, and the creation of new perspectives, are experienced following the death of a loved one(s). Our findings challenge the destructive nature of human loss following death of a loved one(s). Instead, the experience of international travel appeared to influence the social, material, and existential life of senior travelers after the death of a loved one(s), transforming leisure into a personally meaningful experience for them.

Description
Keywords
1504 Commercial Services , 1506 Tourism , Sport, Leisure & Tourism , 3508 Tourism
Source
Leisure Sciences: an interdisciplinary journal, ISSN: 0149-0400 (Print); 0149-0400 (Online), Taylor and Francis Group, (10).
Rights statement
Copyright © 2023 Taylor & Francis. This is a preprint of an article whose final and definitive form has been published in the Leisure Sciences: An Interdisciplinary Journal and is available online at:  www.tandfonline.com with the open URL of your article (see Publisher’s Version).