Abstract:
The tremendous combination of natural beauty and cultural heritage makes Sri
Lanka an attractive and emerging destination for people seeking holistic
experiences in the travel industry. This paper examines the wellness experience
of international tourists and the role of the wellness experience in the
sustainability and competitiveness of a destination. The findings, based upon
thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 11 tourists, show that emotional
and psychological comfort, facilitated by calm surroundings, Ayurvedic
therapies, and traditional cultural aspects plays a prominent role in satisfying
visitors Research examines how tourists view and act towards experiences in
sustainable wellness tourism for pathways to destination competitiveness in Sri
Lanka. The research shows that emotional and psychological well-being is the
most critical factor in visitor satisfaction, derived from calm environments,
Ayurvedic practices, and yoga and meditation arts. International visitors
highlighted Sri Lanka's authentic indigenous traditions, a pleasant local
welcome, and reasonable premium service as the main elements that made their
wellness trip successful. The researchers detected both difficulties related to
post-pandemic economic recovery and visitors' concerns about prices. Through
this research, sustainable tourism studies received new insights about the power
of traditional wellness methods to create destination uniqueness that
encourages visitor commitment. Wellness tourism marketing using digital
platforms, consistency in service quality, and alignment of the wellness agenda
with sustainable development goals in Sri Lanka are some of the innovations
that can promote the long-term development of the sector The research
addresses qualitative gaps concerning South Asian wellness tourism, thus
offering industry-specific recommendations for both government and tourism
entities to take advantage of evolving traveler expectations.
