Exploring idyllic healing: developing a multi-sensory image scale for idyllic life and its impact on restorative effects and travel intention

Abstract

ABSTRACT Under the theme of “idyllic healing”, this article explores the sensory images of idyllic life and their impact on restorative effects and travel intention to reveal the potential for sensory attraction and restorative effects in idyllic tourism destinations. Moreover, research indicates that imagination possesses significant positive emotional and restorative effects. However, empirical validation within the field of tourism is limited, necessitating further scholarly investigation. The article contains two progressive studies. Study 1 constructed an idyllic life multi-sensory image scale containing seven dimensions: vision, audition, haptic sense, taste, olfaction, kinesthesia and atmospheric sense, based on online text data. Study 2 used structural equation modelling to investigate the relationship between sensory dimensions, verified the influence mechanism of sensory images on restorative effects and travel intention, and found that atmospheric sense and restorative effects played an important mediating role. Through the development of the idyllic life multi-sensory image scale, this paper visualises the sensory image of idyllic life and reveals the positive contributions of imagined sensory images associated with an idyllic life to recovery effects and travel intention, underscoring the significant role of imagination, expanding the field of research in cognitive psychology, providing literature support for the integration of mental health and tourism and recreation, and highlighting the potential of rural destinations as healing places. Moreover, the relationship between the sensory dimensions of idyllic life is verified, which enriches the theory of sensory marketing. This study identifies specific sensory elements that enhance restorative experiences and will help to their translation into measurable environmental variables using psychophysics. Building on this foundation, further research into tourism dosage, this approach aims to objectify perceptions and support the scientification and quantification of travel prescriptions. Additionally, the research is expected to facilitate the future quantification of sensory perceptions and establish optimal standards for physical environmental stimuli in rural tourism settings.