How staycation trip reflections affect life satisfaction

Staycation has emerged as a popular form of local tourism during the pandemic, and related literature has mushroomed primarily focusing on its distress-coping. Based on the life satisfaction model, this study attempts to reexamine the psychological benefits of staycation conducting a comparative analysis during and after the pandemic. Data were collected online in two stages with 384 and 542 responses in 2021 and 2023 respectively. In this study, staycation trip reflections in terms of freedom from control, freedom from work, involvement, arousal and spontaneity are investigated for their respective impacts on tourists’ life satisfaction. The research also scrutinizes the mediating roles of positive emotions, meaning of life and enhanced relationships. Profound differences in the staycation experience are noted post-pandemic, contributing to the theoretical understanding of how psychological benefits associated with tip reflections impact tourists’ life satisfaction in different situations. Practical insights are also drawn for industry practitioners.