Rethinking transformative travel through the lens of mindset and reflection

Abstract

Transformative tourism is often presented as a pathway to personal growth and sustainable behaviour, yet the psychological factors explaining why some travellers experience transformation while others do not remain underexamined. This study investigates how growth mindset, reflection, and age interact to shape perceived transformative outcomes. Drawing on a mixed-methods design, the findings demonstrate that a growth-oriented mindset predicts greater engagement in reflective practice, which is associated with greater perceived transformation. Age further suggests the relationship between mindset and reflection, indicating the association may be stronger among older travellers. By integrating mindset theory, socioemotional selectivity theory, and transformative learning theory, this research reconceptualises transformation not as a product of isolated triggers but as a recursive psychological process shaped by cognitive predispositions and reflective depth. The study offers a psychologically grounded model of transformative tourism that offers both theoretical clarity and actionable insights for designing meaningful experiences that foster lasting change.