Social tourism and self-efficacy: exploring links between tourism participation, job-seeking and unemployment

Kakoudakis, Konstantinos I.; McCabe, Scott; Story, Vicky

Abstract

Social tourism is assumed to provide important psychological benefits for economically and socially disadvantaged populations. This study examines empirically whether these individual benefits are associated with socioeconomic benefits to society by focusing on unemployed individuals. Psychological benefits are addressed in terms of self-efficacy, and socioeconomic benefits, in terms of job-search behaviour. Findings from mixed-methods data reveal that holidays create enabling environments, which bring about positive changes in participants’ self-efficacy, contributing to positive effects on their job-search behaviour. Positive effects are also identified with regard to behaviours towards alternative paths to employment, such as volunteering. Given that these behavioural changes comprise major determinants of reemployment, it is suggested that social tourism may hold potential for incorporation into existing unemployment policies.

Citation

Kakoudakis, K. I., McCabe, S., & Story, V. (2017). Social tourism and self-efficacy: exploring links between tourism participation, job-seeking and unemployment. Annals of Tourism Research, 65, 108-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2017.05.005

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 18, 2017
• Online Publication Date: May 29, 2017
• Publication Date: Jul 31, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jun 13, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: May 30, 2019
• Journal: Annals of Tourism Research
• Print ISSN: 0160-7383
• Electronic ISSN: 1607383
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 65
• Pages: 108-121
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2017.05.005
• Keywords: Self-efficacy; Job-seeking; Social tourism; Unemployment policy; Mixed methods
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/875025
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2017.05.005