The Influence of Tourism Experiences on Cognitive and Emotional Recovery, Tourism Experience Memory, and Quality of Life: A Study of Ceramic Tourists in China

Previous research on tourism experiences (4Es) and their cognitive and emotional healing effects has focused primarily on wellness or nature-based tourism, overlooking the potential healing effects of the multidimensional relationship between the 4Es and recovery. This study systematically analyzed how experiential elements (entertainment, educational, esthetic, and escapist experiences) of cultural tourism lead to emotional and cognitive recovery, and how these in turn influence tourism experience memory and changes in quality of life. A survey was conducted with 408 Chinese tourists participating in ceramic-making experiences in Jingdezhen, China, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results revealed that all experience elements except entertainment had significant positive effects on emotional and cognitive recovery. Additionally, emotional and cognitive recovery significantly improved tourism experience memories and quality of life, while tourism experience memory also contributed to improvements in quality of life. This study demonstrated that emotional and cognitive recovery and quality of life improvement are achievable through cultural tourism experiences like ceramic-making, indicating that the healing effects of tourism are not limited to specific tourism forms. By verifying the multidimensional relationship between tourism experiences and recovery, this study presents practical implications for promoting public health and welfare through experiential tourism.