From fun to fulfillment: character strengths interventions for enhancing tourist well-being

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of character strengths in shaping tourist well-being and introduce a conceptual model for interventions in tourism design that aim to enhance well-being from a positive psychology framework. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model is developed based on two primary streams of character strengths-based interventions: the “generic approach” and the “personalized approach.” Findings The model suggests a potential mechanism by which tourists’ well-being can be enhanced when they engage in activities that align with their generic and signature strengths. Research limitations/implications The model requires empirical testing to validate the association between character strengths and tourist well-being and to explore how specific interventions can impact tourist well-being. Practical implications This note illustrates how strengths-based interventions might be embedded into real-world tourism experiences, offering hypothetical scenarios to guide practitioners in integrating well-being principles into service design. Originality/value The research note provides a novel conceptual model linking character strengths to tourist well-being, offering insights for future studies and interventions to optimize tourist experiences.