YOUTHFUL TRAVELERS’ PURSUITS OF HAPPINESS: EMBRACING BUDDHIST VEGETARIANISM IN TEMPLES

Abstract

This research aims at developing a framework illustrating how young tourists derive happiness from the Buddhist vegetarian experience and how Buddhist temples can enhance young tourists’ commitment within the Humanistic Buddhist context by utilizing social practice theory, positive psychological theory, and attention restoration theory. This study expands the application of the above theories to wellness tourism, which is composed of spiritual tourism and food tourism, and provides constructive suggestions on how temples and temple vegetarian food can attract more young tourists in the context of Humanistic Buddhism.
Keywords: Buddhist Vegetarian Food, Social Practice Theory, Happiness, Perceived Therapeutic Landscape, Humanistic Buddhism