Mindfulness as a Tool for Managing Visitors to Tourism Destinations

The primary objective of this study was to develop a further understanding of the construct of mindfulness and its application in managing visitors to natural, cultural, or historically based tourism destinations. Mindfulness represents a state of mind expressed by actively processing available information (e.g., brochures) within the surrounding environment, while mindlessness is considered a type of disengagement from information in one’s surroundings. A 7-item Likert-type-scaled mindfulness measure was modified and administered to visitors at four southeastern coastal parks in April/May 1998. Three groups, “not very mindful, ” “mindful,” and “very mindful,” were identified. Significant differences (p < .05) were found among the three groups concerning benefits sought, preference for services, and participation in nature-oriented activities, with the very mindful group standing apart from the other two. Application of mindfulness principles may provide a framework for tourism destinations in meeting visitor needs while also aiding resource management efforts.